Unisex name · Arabic

Shams

How to say it: SHAMS · /ˈʃams/

From Arabic 'shams' meaning 'sun' - historic unisex name, also evokes light in Persian poetry.

Shams was the 2,600th most popular girls’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 49 babies of either sex (Social Security Administration). The 2020s are its busiest decade so far, its births are up 2.2-fold in ten years, and it is projected to rise to #1,826 by 2030.

Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures

#2,600for girls in 2025
1 in 67,660US babies
49born in 2025
#1,826projected for 2030
2020sits peak decade
under 1 in 200chance a classmate shares it

Key facts

Key facts about Shams
Rank among girls’ names, 2025#2,600
Babies born in 2025 (both sexes)49
Share of births1 in 67,660
Peak decade2020s
Change over 10 years×2.2
Projected rank for 2030 (estimate)#1,826
In France, 2025#999 among girls’ names, 45 births

Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.

Its life, decade by decade

Shams is a newcomer: almost all of its history is from the last forty years.

1900195020002020–25
Peak: 11 per million births, 2020s.

What goes with it

Nicknames

  • Sham
  • Shami

Other spellings

Honouring a Shams in the family

In the classroom

In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Shams is about under 1 in 200.

Around the world

This spelling is used in Arabic, English, French.

In France: #999 for girls in 2025.

Famous people named Shams

  • Shams Tabrizi (1185–1248)Spiritual instructor of Mewlānā Rumi

From Wikidata and Wikipedia

Keep exploring

Find names you'll both love, starting with Shams

The one-minute style quiz.

Take the quiz

Or see the Vowel app →