Popularity of "S" vs. "Sh" Names - Boys

Image by chrisinplymouth via Flickr

Last week, I compared the popularity of girl names that began with the "S" and "Sh" sounds. As promised, here are the boys!

As I explained last week, to do this research, I used the S and Sh names with percentage of use above 0.01% since 1938*. This cutoff was chosen because the Top 1000 in 2012 include names with a percentage higher than 0.0131% for girls and 0.0098% for boys. Because the S and Sh sounds are not exclusive to the letters S and Sh, I also added the names that begin with the letter C that have the S sounds (there were no Ch boy names that had the Sh sound). This can be subjective as some of the names can be pronounced with either the S/Sh sound, but I went with what I thought would be the mostly likely sound heard.

As with the girl names, there are less boy Sh names (20) than S/C names (67), but considerably less in total compared to the girls! There is no divergence as there was with the girl names; instead it is fascinating to see the popularity of Sh sound names rise and get close to the falling popularity of S names in the 1970s. This jump is no doubt due to the popularity of Sean/Shaun/Shawn and Shane, which were the only Sh names with percentages of 0.3% and higher at some point since 1938. To give perspective on that percentage, the boy names ranked #70 and higher in 2012 had percentages of use higher than 0.3%.

The S/C names reached their peak in the 1950s and 1960s with the popularity of Steven, Scott and Stephen. Since those names started to decrease in use, S names, as well as Sh names, have maintained a gradual slope downward over the years. Other highly popular S/C names since 1938 are Samuel, Steve, Sebastian, Stanley, and Seth (again, all with percentages of 0.3% and higher at some point).

While it looks like most boy S names are on the way out, there are several currently making waves: Cyrus, Samson, Santiago, Santino, Sawyer, Sebastian, Silas, Soren, Sterling, Sullivan, and Sylas have all had increasing percentages of use over the past few years. It doesn't look like any Sh names are on the rise.

If you are curious as to the names included in this study, here is a list. These names could have appeared in just one year or remained fairly popular throughout the years.

S & C

Cecil	Sammy	Scot	Simeon	Stacy	Stone
Cedric	Samson	Scott	Simon	Stan	Stoney
Cedrick	Samuel	Scottie	Sincere	Stanley	Stuart
Cesar	Sandy	Scotty	Skylar	Stefan	Sullivan
Cyril	Sanford	Sebastian	Skyler	Stephan	Syed
Cyrus	Santana	Semaj	Slade	Stephen	Sylas
Sage	Santiago	Seneca	Solomon	Stephon	Sylvester
Salvador	Santino	Sergio	Sonny	Sterling
Salvatore	Santos	Seth	Soren	Steve
Sam	Saul	Seymour	Spencer	Steven
Samir	Savion	Sidney	Spenser	Stevie
Sammie	Sawyer	Silas	Stacey	Stewart

Sh

Seamus	Shayne
Sean	Shea
Shad	Shelby
Shamar	Sheldon
Shane	Shelton
Shannon	Shemar
Shaquan	Sherman
Shaquille	Sherwood
Shaun	Shirley
Shawn	Shon

Another great list of names, and definitely some surprises! What is your favorite S name? Do you prefer the beginning sound of "S" or "Sh"?

*I calculated the percentage of use for each name using the raw number of births for the year and dividing it by the total number of corresponding (boy or girl) births for the year. The Social Security Administration has only provided the total number of births for each year since 1938.

Popularity of "S" vs. "Sh" Names - Girls

Image by chrisinplymouth via Flickr

When people ask me what letter I would use if I had to name 10 children with the same letter, my answer is S. But I also clarify that it is S and not Sh! To me, since they are different sounds they are different "letters" with which to begin a name. As my mind ran with this thought, I wondered how have the two sounds differed in terms of popularity?

To do this research, I used the S and Sh names with percentage of use above 0.01% since 1938*. This cutoff was chosen because the Top 1000 in 2012 include names with a percentage higher than 0.0131% for girls and 0.0098% for boys. Because the S and Sh sounds are not exclusive to the letters S and Sh, I also added the names that begin with the letters C and Ch that have the S and Sh sounds. This can be subjective as some of the names can be pronounced with either the S/Sh sound or the hard C/Ch sound, but I went with what I thought would be the mostly likely sound heard. As usual, this research is time intensive, so I will do the girls this week and the boys next week.

I can't say this graph is surprising. We do not hear as many Sh-sound names currently save Charlotte.

It's fascinating that even though there are less Sh/Ch names (120) than S/C names (153) included in these numbers, the Sh/Ch names are pretty equal to the S/C names in the late 1930s and remain relatively high through the 1960s, undoubtedly due to the popularity of Shirley, Sharon, and Cheryl. Other highly popular Sh/Ch names since 1938 are Shannon, Shelby, Sheila, Sherry and Charlotte, all with percentages of 0.3% and higher at some point. To give perspective on that percentage, the girl names ranked #32 and higher in 2012 had percentages of use higher than 0.3%.

The S/C names reached their peak in the 1950s with the popularity of Susan, Sandra and Cynthia. Other highly popular S/C names since 1938 are Sarah, Stephanie, Samantha, Sophia, Cindy, Sara, Sydney, Stacy, Sofia, Stacey, Sally, Suzanne, Sylvia, Savannah, Sabrina and Sierra (again, all with percentages of 0.3% and higher at some point).

If you are curious as to the names included in this study, here is a list. These names could have appeared in just one year or remained fairly popular throughout the years.

S & C

Cecelia	Cyndi	Sandi	Selene	Sonya	Sunny
Cecile	Cynthia	Sandra	Selina	Sophia	Sunshine
Cecilia	Saanvi	Sandy	Serena	Sophie	Suri
Cecily	Sabrina	Saniya	Serenity	Soraya	Susan
Celena	Sade	Saniyah	Serina	Spring	Susana
Celeste	Sadie	Santana	Sidney	Stacey	Susanna
Celestine	Sage	Sara	Siena	Staci	Susanne
Celia	Sahara	Sarah	Sienna	Stacia	Susie
Celina	Saige	Sarahi	Sierra	Stacie	Sutton
Celine	Salena	Sarai	Silvia	Stacy	Suzan
Ciara	Salina	Sariah	Simone	Star	Suzanna
Ciarra	Sallie	Sarina	Sky	Starla	Suzanne
Cicely	Sally	Sariyah	Skye	Starr	Suzette
Cielo	Salma	Sasha	Skyla	Stefani	Suzy
Ciera	Samantha	Saundra	Skylar	Stefanie	Sybil
Cierra	Samara	Savana	Skyler	Stella	Syble
Ciji	Samaria	Savanah	Sloan	Stephaine	Sydnee
Cinda	Samatha	Savanna	Sloane	Stephani	Sydney
Cindi	Samaya	Savannah	Sofia	Stephanie	Sydni
Cindy	Samira	Sawyer	Sofie	Stephany	Sydnie
Cinnamon	Samiya	Saylor	Somaya	Stephenie	Sylvia
Cinthia	Samiyah	Scarlet	Sommer	Stevie	Symone
Citlali	Sammie	Scarlett	Sondra	Stormy	Syreeta
Citlalli	Samya	Scarlette	Sonia	Sue
Citlaly	Sanaa	Selah	Sonja	Suellen
Cydney	Sanai	Selena	Sonji	Summer

Sh & Ch

Chanel	Cheyenne	Shanika	Sharla	Sheena	Sherrie
Chanelle	Shae	Shaniqua	Sharlene	Sheila	Sherrill
Chantal	Shaila	Shanita	Sharon	Shelba	Sherry
Chante	Shaina	Shaniya	Sharonda	Shelbi	Sherryl
Chantel	Shakira	Shaniyah	Sharron	Shelbie	Sheryl
Chantelle	Shalon	Shanna	Sharyn	Shelby	Sheyla
Charisse	Shalonda	Shannan	Shasta	Shelia	Shianne
Charla	Shameka	Shannen	Shauna	Shelley	Shiela
Charleen	Shamika	Shannon	Shaunna	Shelli	Shiloh
Charlene	Shana	Shanon	Shavon	Shellie	Shirl
Charlize	Shanae	Shanta	Shavonne	Shelly	Shirlee
Charlotte	Shanda	Shante	Shawanda	Shelva	Shirlene
Charmaine	Shane	Shantel	Shawn	Shena	Shirley
Cher	Shanell	Shantell	Shawna	Sheree	Shonda
Cheri	Shanelle	Shaquana	Shawnee	Sheri	Shonna
Cherie	Shanequa	Shara	Shawnte	Sheridan	Shreya
Cherrelle	Shani	Shardae	Shayla	Sherie	Shyann
Cheryl	Shania	Sharde	Shaylee	Sherita	Shyanne
Cheryle	Shanice	Sharen	Shayna	Sherlyn	Shyla
Cheyanne	Shaniece	Shari	Shea	Sherri	Siobhan

What a great list of names! It's also interesting to see the various spellings of popular names.

Do you prefer S or Sh names for girls? Do you consider them different as I do?



*I calculated the percentage of use for each name using the raw number of births for the year and dividing it by the total number of corresponding (boy or girl) births for the year. The Social Security Administration has only provided the total number of births for each year since 1938.