Shawnee
Shawnee: name meaning, origin and popularity
Pronunciation (IPA): /ʃɑˈni/ · /ʃɔˈni/
Meaning and origin of Shawnee
Root meaning: “Shawnee”
- A female given name, derived from the name of this tribe.
Etymology
Ultimately from Shawnee saawanwa (“Shawnee”) or saawanoki (“southerners”), a hypothetical intermediary term is sometimes supposed to have facilitated the entry into English, such as Munsee sawanow. Likely a re-analysis of Shawnese as the plural Shawnees.
How popular is Shawnee?
Since 1880, 3,909 girls and 120 boys in the U.S. have been named Shawnee (97% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #872 in 1992. Its highest rank for boys was #3277 in 1969. Fewer than 5 babies per sex were given the name in 2025, so it does not appear in that year's SSA data.
Names similar to Shawnee
Names that start with the same letters, most popular first.
Sibling name ideas for Shawnee
Names that peaked around the same time as Shawnee and are still in the U.S. top 1,000.
Shawnee FAQ
What does the name Shawnee mean?
Shawnee traces back to a root meaning "Shawnee". A female given name, derived from the name of this tribe. Ultimately from Shawnee saawanwa (“Shawnee”) or saawanoki (“southerners”), a hypothetical intermediary term is sometimes supposed to have facilitated the entry into English, such as Munsee sawanow. Likely a re-analysis of Shawnese as the plural Shawnees.
How popular is the name Shawnee?
Since 1880, 3,909 girls and 120 boys in the U.S. have been named Shawnee (97% girls). Its highest rank for girls was #872 in 1992. Its highest rank for boys was #3277 in 1969. Fewer than 5 babies per sex were given the name in 2025, so it does not appear in that year's SSA data.
Is Shawnee a boy or girl name?
Shawnee is mostly a girl name in the U.S.: 3,909 girls and 120 boys since 1880.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration baby name data, 1880–2025 (names given to 5+ babies per year). Origin and etymology text: Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.