Meaning and history
Shem is a biblical masculine name from Hebrew Shem, meaning “name,” and by extension sometimes “reputation” or “renown.” In Genesis, Shem is one of Noah’s three sons and is presented as an ancestor of several peoples of the ancient Near East. The linguistic term Semitic ultimately derives from his name through later historical classification. A notable modern bearer is Kenyan long-distance runner Shem Kororia. The name remains most strongly associated with its biblical genealogy.
20062006: 14 births, rank #5,781
2007: 13 births, rank #6,262
2008: 8 births, rank #9,019
2009: 10 births, rank #7,692
2010: 7 births, rank #9,693
20112011: 7 births, rank #9,600
2012: 7 births, rank #9,709
2013: 16 births, rank #5,404
2014: 16 births, rank #5,485
2015: 17 births, rank #5,289
20162016: 11 births, rank #7,157
2017: 16 births, rank #5,526
2018: 17 births, rank #5,320
2019: 16 births, rank #5,555
2020: 12 births, rank #6,620
20212021: 13 births, rank #6,335
2022: 17 births, rank #5,445
2023: 12 births, rank #6,897
2024: 13 births, rank #6,469
20252025: 10 births, rank #7,679
In 2025, 10 babies were recorded with the name Shem, ranking #7,679 among boys.