Shama
- Gender
- Girl
- Say it
- SHAH-ma
- Origin
- Arabic
Shama is a girls' name of Arabic origin, meaning “candle, lamp”. Too few babies were given it in the latest year to rank.
What does Shama mean?
Arabic: Arabic sham', via Persian and Urdu
“candle, lamp”
In Urdu and Persian poetry the candle (shama) is often paired with the moth drawn to its flame.
Is Shama a girl's or a boy's name?
Shama is a girls' name.
How popular is Shama in the UK?
No girls in the UK were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1998, with 11 girls.
Half of all the girls named Shama in the UK since 1996 were born between 1999 and 2008. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.
Shama in the UK, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 | #5,885 |
| 2021 | 0 | – |
| 2020 | 0 | – |
| 2019 | 0 | – |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 1 | #7,682 |
| 2016 | 0 | – |
| 2015 | 3 | #5,983 |
| 2014 | 0 | – |
| 2013 | 3 | #6,003 |
| 2012 | 0 | – |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 5 | #4,220 |
| 2009 | 6 | #3,603 |
| 2008 | 7 | #3,203 |
| 2007 | 5 | #3,858 |
| 2006 | 5 | #3,724 |
| 2005 | 9 | #2,360 |
| 2004 | 5 | #3,356 |
| 2003 | 8 | #2,320 |
| 2002 | 6 | #2,691 |
| 2001 | 6 | #2,587 |
| 2000 | 4 | #3,399 |
| 1999 | 9 | #1,921 |
| 1998 | 11 | #1,694 |
| 1997 | 10 | #1,780 |
| 1996 | 3 | #3,935 |
How popular is Shama in the US?
No girls in the US were given it in 2025, or too few to be listed. Its busiest year was 1979, with 18 girls. It first appears in the records in 1968.
Half of all the girls named Shama in the US since 1880 were born between 1981 and 2003, the years shaded on the chart below.
Shama in the US, year by year
| Year | Girls | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | #15,288 |
| 2023 | 9 | #10,307 |
| 2022 | 9 | #10,377 |
| 2021 | 5 | #15,246 |
| 2020 | 7 | #12,137 |
| 2019 | 5 | #15,532 |
| 2018 | 0 | – |
| 2017 | 0 | – |
| 2016 | 7 | #12,871 |
| 2015 | 5 | #16,413 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,124 |
| 2013 | 0 | – |
| 2012 | 5 | #16,863 |
| 2011 | 0 | – |
| 2010 | 7 | #13,442 |
| 2009 | 0 | – |
| 2008 | 13 | #8,961 |
| 2007 | 7 | #13,918 |
| 2006 | 5 | #17,163 |
| 2005 | 0 | – |
| 2004 | 8 | #11,617 |
| 2003 | 8 | #11,319 |
| 2002 | 13 | #7,810 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10,095 |
| 2000 | 6 | #13,147 |
| 1999 | 0 | – |
| 1998 | 6 | #12,420 |
| 1997 | 7 | #10,831 |
| 1996 | 11 | #7,569 |
| 1995 | 6 | #11,778 |
| 1994 | 10 | #8,116 |
| 1993 | 14 | #6,257 |
| 1992 | 5 | #13,308 |
| 1991 | 12 | #6,969 |
| 1990 | 16 | #5,544 |
| 1989 | 11 | #6,949 |
| 1988 | 13 | #5,890 |
| 1987 | 11 | #6,330 |
| 1986 | 13 | #5,456 |
| 1985 | 13 | #5,346 |
| 1984 | 8 | #7,396 |
| 1983 | 17 | #4,285 |
| 1982 | 15 | #4,714 |
| 1981 | 14 | #4,962 |
| 1980 | 10 | #6,318 |
| 1979 | 18 | #4,051 |
| 1978 | 8 | #6,946 |
| 1977 | 17 | #4,068 |
| 1976 | 10 | #5,599 |
| 1975 | 10 | #5,514 |
| 1974 | 16 | #3,862 |
| 1973 | 5 | #8,421 |
| 1972 | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 7 | #6,617 |
| 1970 | 0 | – |
| 1969 | 0 | – |
| 1968 | 5 | #7,014 |
Names like Shama
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Safa, Saba, Salma, Hiba, Faiza, Summer, Safiya, Huda, Safaa, Aysha, Rahma, Hafsa
Names related to Shama
Sama, Samia, Sham, Samah, Saima, Siham, Samaa, Shayma, Samya, Shamya
More Arabic names
Muhammad, Layla, Mohammed, Lyla, Mohammad, Zara, Aaliyah, Amir, Amira, Fatima, Ali, Yahya, Zayn, Aisha, Omar, Zahra
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Shama: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/shama, updated 20 October 2026.