Given name & surname
Shem
“having a well-known name”
Shem is used as a given name and a surname. One Hebrew interpretation is “having a well-known name.”
Original Hebrewשם
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Hebrew interpretation is “having a well-known name.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1954. 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 Shem appears in Genesis 10:21, Luke 3:36.
- Genesis 10:21
- Luke 3:36
From biblical name research
Shem through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 755
- 750 boys · 5 girls
- Most popular year
- 1976
- 23 babies
- 2025
- 10
- #8,147 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −10%
- Steady
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 10 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 8,147 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 9.7% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 858 as a first name in 2020; 204 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.
Shem’s family of names
Shem may belong to the same name family as SHEMM. This is a tentative spelling connection.
The ring: spellings.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
See also 6
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Shem
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Shem, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Shaun
“God is gracious”
98% boys · 2% girls
Shawn
“God is gracious”
98% boys · 2% girls
Dedan
“leading gently”
>99% boys
Rosh
“head” · “chief”
>99% boys
Jamin
“the right hand of favor”
>99% boys
Zebulon
“one who has been exalted”
>99% boys
Vidal
“life” · “a giver of life”
>99% boys
Shaphan
“coney” · “shy”
>99% boys