Will my child share the name Shia with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 9 UK babies named Shia per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Shia in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Shia becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Shia is rising: up 520 places since 2020, to #2,440 in 2025. Its best recorded position was #1,534 in 2022.

Is Shia a good choice for a distinctive name?

Shia is a distinctive choice sitting outside the mainstream UK top names. Parents choosing less common names often find their children appreciate the individuality as they grow up, rarely needing to add an initial to distinguish themselves.

Is Shia a popular baby name in the United States?

Shia does not appear in the US top 1,000 baby names, making it a distinctively British choice.

👦 Boy's name 💎 Relatively Unique UK #2440

Shia

🗳️ Add Shia to a family shortlist

Shia is a distinctive choice, ranked #2440 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Shia in their class.

💎

UK Rank 2025

#2440

About the Name Shia

Shia is climbing rapidly up the charts, having climbed 3404 places in just five years. Its best recorded rank was #1907 in 2023 — and current momentum suggests it could challenge that mark again. The name has been a regular feature in UK records since 2007.

Shia is rare in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Shia in their class.

⭐ Famous People Named Shia

Shia Islamism — Shia Islamism is the implementation of Shia Islam in politics and opposition to Sunni Islamism.

Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.