Given name & surname
Shama
“the lighted mark”
Shama is used as a given name and a surname. One Arabic interpretation is “the lighted mark.”
Original Hebrewשמע
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Arabic interpretation is “the lighted mark.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Arabic.
How it developed
From the Hebrew verb shama' (שמע), “to hear.”
From biblical name research
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1968. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Shama appears in 1 Chronicles 11:44.
From biblical name research
Shama through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 451
- 0 boys · 451 girls
- Most popular year
- 1979
- 18 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +100%
- Rising fast
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 5 in 2024. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Its largest published annual count for girls was 18 in 1979. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 1,299 as a first name in 2020; 360 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.
Shama’s family of names
Shama has a related form in Shammah. Shama has a related form in Shamma. Shama has a related form in Shamah.
The ring: nicknames and forms.
Nicknames & forms 3
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
See also 14
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Shama
- Shama SikanderIndian actressborn 1981
- Shama BhateIndian classical dancerborn 1950
- Shama ZaidiIndian screenplay writer, costume designer, art director, theatre person, art critic, and documentary film makerborn 1938
- Shama RahmanBritish singer and musicianborn 1983
- Shama AboobakarMauritian badminton playerborn 1983
- Shama Khalidpolitician1946–2010
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Shama, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Khalilah
“a beloved friend”
>99% girls
Roula
Roula is a feminine given name from Arabic. It is used in French.
>99% girls
Farrah
“fair-haired woman” · “one who bears the burden”
>99% girls
Sara
“princess”
>99% girls
Sheri
“one who is greatly loved; a darling”
>99% girls
Jena
“our little bird”
>99% girls
Talitha
“a maiden; young girl”
>99% girls
Jamila
“a beautiful and elegant lady”
>99% girls