Fun Facts About the Name Shahid
- 716 babies named Shahid: U.S. records list 716 babies given the name Shahid from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Shahid Mean?
Shahid is an Arabic name meaning "witness." It comes from the root sh-h-d, which has to do with witnessing, testifying, and being present. The form shāhid (شاهد) is an active participle meaning "one who witnesses" or "witness."
A related Arabic form, shahīd (شهيد), is spelled the same way in English but has a long ī in Arabic. It also means "witness," and in Islamic usage it became the usual word for "martyr." In South Asian Muslim usage, the given name Shahid often reflects this second sense and is understood as "martyr." The two words share a root but are not identical. The name is not related to Persian shāh "king," despite the similar opening.
Shahid Name History & Origins
The Arabic root sh-h-d is old and appears in the Qur'an in words for witness and witnessing; shāhid occurs in Qur'an 85:3, "the witness and the witnessed." In classical Arabic, shāhid could also mean a piece of evidence or a model - something that bears witness to a fact.
The religious sense of shahīd as "martyr" developed in Islamic tradition. It denotes someone who bears witness to the faith through death, and it became a common masculine given name among Muslims, especially in Arabic-speaking countries and in South Asia. In Urdu and Persian, shahīd is the ordinary word for martyr, while in Arabic shāhid remains the ordinary word for witness.
Because English spelling does not show the difference between shāhid and shahīd, the name Shahid can carry either the everyday sense "witness" or the religious sense "martyr," depending on the language and community. The feminine form Shahida is also used, but it is a separate given name.
How Popular is the Name Shahid?
Shahid has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2000. Its best rank was #2,548 in 1979.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,587 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #9,702 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2023 | #9,595 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2022 | #8,200 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2021 | #10,597 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2020 | #7,417 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #8,112 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #7,054 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #4,907 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2016 | #7,522 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #6,257 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2014 | #8,680 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #7,472 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2012 | #9,563 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #6,526 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2010 | #8,040 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2009 | #5,511 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2008 | #8,894 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #8,808 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #4,827 | 19 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #4,602 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2004 | #4,760 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2003 | #5,499 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #4,464 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2001 | #6,369 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2000 | #3,514 | 24 | 0.0012% |
| 1999 | #5,271 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #4,831 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #6,018 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #4,573 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #3,083 | 23 | 0.0012% |
| 1994 | #3,877 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1993 | #3,478 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 1992 | #3,316 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 1991 | #4,184 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #3,936 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #4,481 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #5,152 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1987 | #5,998 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #4,083 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #3,768 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #4,158 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #4,095 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1982 | #3,455 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1981 | #3,187 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1980 | #3,402 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1979 | #2,548 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1978 | #3,807 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1977 | #2,644 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #2,932 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 1975 | #3,898 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1974 | #2,919 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1973 | #3,182 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1972 | #4,368 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #4,316 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #4,926 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1968 | #3,069 | 9 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Shahid Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Shahid's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Shahid's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.