Given name & surname
Shain
“God is gracious”
Shain is a variant of Shane. In English use, Shane carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Shain is a variant of Shane. In English use, Shane carries the interpretation “God is gracious.”
Explained through its name family
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1963. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Shain through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,241
- 1,215 boys · 26 girls
- Most popular year
- 1978
- 41 babies
- 2025
- 6
- #11,780 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −45%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 6 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 11,780 among boys’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for boys was 40 in 1985. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,177 as a first name in 2020; 2,128 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Inner ring: spellings · outer: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 2
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Similar names
If you love Shain, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Shaun
“God is gracious”
98% boys · 2% girls
Shelton
“from the farm on the ledge”
>99% boys
Alain
“one who is precious” · “resembling a little rock”
>99% boys
Delvin
“a godly friend”
98% boys · 2% girls
Shaheen
Shaheen is a surname.
>99% boys
Aric
“ever the ruler”
>99% boys
Shawn
“God is gracious”
98% boys · 2% girls
Sacha
“helper and defender of mankind” · “helper and defender of people”
87% boys · 13% girls