Shea
Say it: SHAY/ʃeɪ/
Boy4 letters1 syllable
#125
in Ireland (2025)
#106 with spellings combined
54
babies in 2025
#106
best rank (2025)
672
babies since 1976
Up 159
10-year rank change
Shea through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 54 | #106 |
| 2024 | 37 | #136 |
| 2023 | 39 | #141 |
| 2022 | 39 | #151 |
| 2021 | 36 | #158 |
| 2020 | 26 | #194 |
| 2019 | 38 | #152 |
| 2018 | 25 | #215 |
| 2017 | 33 | #179 |
| 2016 | 41 | #150 |
| 2015 | 18 | #265 |
| 2014 | 29 | #203 |
| 2013 | 33 | #187 |
| 2012 | 21 | #250 |
| 2011 | 26 | #215 |
| 2010 | 22 | #241 |
| 2009 | 16 | #283 |
| 2008 | 28 | #199 |
| 2007 | 21 | #220 |
| 2006 | 17 | #222 |
| 2005 | 16 | #213 |
| 2004 | 11 | #244 |
| 2003 | 6 | #337 |
| 2002 | 9 | #249 |
| 2001 | 6 | #297 |
| 2000 | 3 | #390 |
| 1998 | 4 | #324 |
| 1997 | 8 | #251 |
| 1996 | 3 | #369 |
| 1978 | 4 | #283 |
| 1976 | 3 | #316 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0. Spellings with and without fadas are combined; the CSO only recorded fadas from 2018.
★ What does Shea mean?
Uncertain
Irish, from the surname Ó Séaghdha, anglicised as O'Shea.
Say it right
SHAY
Said exactly like Shay. The CSO also records Shéa, with a fada.
Not:SHEE-a
The story of Shea
Shea comes from the Irish surname Ó Séaghdha, better known in English as O’Shea. The family name is tied to the old territory of Corcu Duibne in County Kerry. The personal name Séaghdha behind it is old, but its meaning is not settled, so we have left it as uncertain.
Like Casey and Kennedy, Shea moved from surname to first name. It is used for both sexes in some countries, but in Ireland it is almost entirely a boy’s name. It sounds the same as Shay, which has its own page.
Shea was rare in Ireland until the 2000s and has been rising since. In 2025 it had its best year so far, with 54 boys counting all spellings, which put it at number 106. The CSO counts the spellings separately: 43 boys were Shea and 11 were Shéa, and Shea on its own ranked 125th. It is far more popular in Northern Ireland, where it reached number 22 in 2025.
Say it differently where you're from, or spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Sources
- Wiktionary: Shea (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: O'Shea
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Shea | 43 | 590 |
| Shéa | 11 | 75 |
| Sheá | under 3 | 7 |
In Northern Ireland
#22 in 2025 with 67 babies. Best rank #22 (2025); 2,063 babies since 1997.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.
Shea is also given to girls: 10 since 2020.