Fun Facts About the Name Shakur
- More than 1 thousand babies named Shakur: U.S. records list 1,620 babies given the name Shakur from 1880 through 2025. Even 9 girls received the name Shakur - about 1 girl for every 179 boys.
What Does the Name Shakur Mean?
Shakur is an Arabic name meaning "thankful" or "grateful." It comes from the root sh-k-r, which has to do with giving thanks and acknowledging a benefit. The name is built on the intensive adjective pattern faʿūl, so shakūr carries the sense of "very thankful" or "constantly grateful" rather than simply "one who thanks."
In Islamic tradition, al-Shakūr (the Most Thankful) is one of the names of God, understood as the one who recognizes and rewards good deeds. The related form Shakir (shākir) is a different grammatical shape - an active participle meaning "one who gives thanks" - though it comes from the same root. The two names are close in meaning but are distinct forms, not simply variant spellings.
Shakur Name History & Origins
Shakur belongs to the large stock of Arabic personal names drawn from adjectives and participles, a pattern that produced many names used across the Muslim world. Because the root sh-k-r appears in the Qur'an and in the traditional list of God's names, shakūr was an available and meaningful choice for a given name long before it spread beyond Arabic-speaking regions.
As a given name it is used in the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia, and among Muslim communities elsewhere, including in the United States. It also occurs as a surname in Arabic-speaking societies, where family names are often formed from the same vocabulary as given names.
In the United States, the surname is widely recognized through the family of the rapper Tupac Shakur. The name in that family was adopted rather than inherited; such surname changes were part of a broader practice among some African American Muslims and political activists in the mid-twentieth century, who took Arabic or African names in place of names passed down from earlier generations. The spelling Shakur reflects an English rendering of the Arabic shakūr, and the long vowel is usually not marked in everyday use.
How Popular is the Name Shakur?
Shakur 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 1997. Its best rank was #1,073 in 1997.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | #9,664 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,832 | 29 | 0.0017% |
| 2024 | #2,386 | 59 | 0.0034% |
| 2023 | #2,239 | 64 | 0.0037% |
| 2022 | #2,488 | 56 | 0.0032% |
| 2021 | #2,167 | 66 | 0.0038% |
| 2020 | #2,412 | 55 | 0.0032% |
| 2019 | #2,227 | 63 | 0.0035% |
| 2018 | #2,609 | 49 | 0.0027% |
| 2017 | #3,183 | 37 | 0.0020% |
| 2016 | #2,827 | 43 | 0.0023% |
| 2015 | #3,499 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 2014 | #3,762 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2013 | #3,844 | 27 | 0.0014% |
| 2012 | #4,107 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2011 | #4,955 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2010 | #4,817 | 20 | 0.0010% |
| 2009 | #4,141 | 25 | 0.0013% |
| 2008 | #4,679 | 21 | 0.0010% |
| 2007 | #3,296 | 34 | 0.0016% |
| 2006 | #3,144 | 35 | 0.0017% |
| 2005 | #3,006 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2004 | #2,529 | 44 | 0.0022% |
| 2003 | #2,027 | 57 | 0.0029% |
| 2002 | #2,287 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 2001 | #2,269 | 45 | 0.0023% |
| 2000 | #1,963 | 53 | 0.0027% |
| 1999 | #1,988 | 49 | 0.0026% |
| 1998 | #1,417 | 81 | 0.0042% |
| 1997 | #1,073 | 119 | 0.0063% |
| 1996 | #1,275 | 87 | 0.0046% |
| 1995 | #1,886 | 46 | 0.0024% |
| 1994 | #1,328 | 78 | 0.0040% |
| 1993 | #1,428 | 67 | 0.0034% |
| 1992 | #5,187 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #6,813 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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 Shakur 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.
You find the best contentment in life when you own your own home and provide well for your family and loved ones. You have a great sense of responsibility and duty. You are comforting, appreciative and affectionate. Your obligation in life is to hold justice and truth, and if you follow the Law, you can find the great happiness and satisfaction.
✦ Shakur's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Shakur's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.