Fun Facts About the Name Shamar
- More than 6 thousand babies named Shamar: U.S. records list 6,385 babies given the name Shamar from 1880 through 2025. Even 249 girls received the name Shamar - about 1 girl for every 25 boys.
What Does the Name Shamar Mean?
Shamar is a masculine name taken from Hebrew, from the verb shamar (שָׁמַר), which means "to guard," "to keep," "to watch over," or "to observe." The related noun shomer means "guard" or "watchman." As a name, Shamar is usually understood as "guardian" or "keeper" - a literal sense of the verb rather than a later symbolic reading.
Other Hebrew names come from the same root, among them Shemariah (שְׁמַרְיָה), "Yahweh has guarded," and the shorter biblical forms Shemer and Shomer. Because the consonants and the meaning line up, Shamar is sometimes treated as a shortened or modern form of one of these; whether it descends directly from a biblical name or was formed separately from the Hebrew word is not clearly documented.
Shamar Name History & Origins
The root sh-m-r runs through biblical Hebrew, where it covers guarding a flock, keeping a commandment, watching over a city, and standing guard. That root produced several personal names in the Hebrew Bible, including Shemariah and the shorter Shemer and Shomer (rendered "Shamer" in some English translations, a spelling close to Shamar).
Shamar is used as a given name in the modern English-speaking world, particularly in the Caribbean and among Caribbean-descended families in the United States and Britain. It appears in Guyana, Jamaica, and the Bahamas, among other places.
A similar-sounding Tibetan title, Shamarpa, from Tibetan zhwa dmar ("red hat"), belongs to a line of Buddhist teachers and has a separate origin from the Hebrew name.
How Popular is the Name Shamar?
Shamar recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2000. Its best rank was #552 in 2000.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #14,890 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #17,949 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #13,233 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #14,708 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #8,143 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #10,965 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #11,873 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #11,576 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #9,415 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1993 | #13,138 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #7,958 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1991 | #8,486 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #11,163 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #6,878 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1987 | #6,257 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1986 | #6,506 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #8,166 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #6,208 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1983 | #5,089 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1982 | #9,017 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1981 | #6,721 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1980 | #5,482 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #7,893 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #11,116 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1977 | #6,769 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #10,278 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1974 | #9,922 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #8,046 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1971 | #8,129 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #8,446 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,811 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2024 | #3,312 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2023 | #2,990 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 2022 | #2,291 | 63 | 0.0036% |
| 2021 | #2,295 | 61 | 0.0035% |
| 2020 | #2,061 | 69 | 0.0040% |
| 2019 | #1,811 | 85 | 0.0047% |
| 2018 | #1,623 | 101 | 0.0056% |
| 2017 | #1,692 | 94 | 0.0051% |
| 2016 | #1,719 | 91 | 0.0048% |
| 2015 | #1,433 | 120 | 0.0063% |
| 2014 | #1,575 | 101 | 0.0053% |
| 2013 | #1,368 | 124 | 0.0066% |
| 2012 | #1,262 | 140 | 0.0074% |
| 2011 | #1,208 | 146 | 0.0077% |
| 2010 | #1,030 | 189 | 0.0099% |
| 2009 | #1,140 | 161 | 0.0081% |
| 2008 | #929 | 219 | 0.0107% |
| 2007 | #948 | 209 | 0.0101% |
| 2006 | #805 | 254 | 0.0124% |
| 2005 | #809 | 235 | 0.0118% |
| 2004 | #876 | 199 | 0.0100% |
| 2003 | #788 | 223 | 0.0113% |
| 2002 | #650 | 292 | 0.0150% |
| 2001 | #570 | 363 | 0.0187% |
| 2000 | #552 | 383 | 0.0195% |
| 1999 | #618 | 295 | 0.0154% |
| 1998 | #701 | 238 | 0.0125% |
| 1997 | #807 | 183 | 0.0097% |
| 1996 | #865 | 161 | 0.0085% |
| 1995 | #1,079 | 110 | 0.0058% |
| 1994 | #1,578 | 59 | 0.0031% |
| 1993 | #2,042 | 40 | 0.0020% |
| 1992 | #1,487 | 62 | 0.0031% |
| 1991 | #1,334 | 72 | 0.0036% |
| 1990 | #1,196 | 84 | 0.0041% |
| 1989 | #1,305 | 71 | 0.0035% |
| 1988 | #1,548 | 48 | 0.0025% |
| 1987 | #1,463 | 50 | 0.0027% |
| 1986 | #1,160 | 67 | 0.0036% |
| 1985 | #1,329 | 53 | 0.0029% |
| 1984 | #1,212 | 58 | 0.0032% |
| 1983 | #1,163 | 61 | 0.0034% |
| 1982 | #1,046 | 76 | 0.0042% |
| 1981 | #1,034 | 78 | 0.0044% |
| 1980 | #1,152 | 63 | 0.0035% |
| 1979 | #1,302 | 51 | 0.0030% |
| 1978 | #1,450 | 42 | 0.0026% |
| 1977 | #1,998 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1976 | #2,229 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 1975 | #1,990 | 24 | 0.0015% |
| 1974 | #3,781 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1973 | #2,993 | 12 | 0.0008% |
| 1972 | #4,369 | 7 | 0.0004% |
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 Shamar 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.
✦ Shamar's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Shamar's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.