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    The first name Shaquille

    A boy’s name from Arabic meaning “handsome”.

    2 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    Arabic origin

    Shaquille means “handsome” in Arabic.

    A fanciful spelling of Arabic شَكِيل (šakīl, “handsome”).

    More names that mean beauty.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Shaquille last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 7 boys. It peaked in 1996, with 76 births (#319).

    04080 1996200020052010201520202025
    416
    babies named Shaquille, 1996–2025
    #2,921
    rank in 2024
    1996
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Shaquille with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Shaquille at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 43 boys born in the United States were named Shaquille, the 2,927th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1993, when 1,785 were.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    6,156
    babies named Shaquille since 1880
    #2,927
    rank in 2025
    1993
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Nicknames for Shaquille

    • Shaq

    Famous people named Shaquille

    6 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Shaquille O'Neal
      American basketball player (born 1972)
    • Shaquille Harrison
      American basketball player (born 1993)
    • Shaquille Leonard
      American football player (born 1995)
    • Isaiah Taylor
      American basketball player (born 1994)
    • Rashawn Thomas
      American basketball player (born 1994)
    • Daniel Phillips
      English association football player, born 2001

    More Arabic boys’ names

    All 218 names of Arabic origin

    Questions

    What does the name Shaquille mean?
    Shaquille means “handsome” in Arabic.
    What is the origin of the name Shaquille?
    A fanciful spelling of Arabic شَكِيل (šakīl, “handsome”).
    How popular is the name Shaquille?
    In 2024, 7 boys born in England and Wales were named Shaquille, ranking 2,921st. Its peak was 1996, with 76 births.
    What are nicknames for Shaquille?
    Common nicknames for Shaquille include Shaq.
    Is Shaquille a boy's or a girl's name?
    Both. Of the 6,156 US babies named Shaquille since 1880, 6% were girls and 94% boys.
    When was Shaquille most popular?
    1993 in the United States, when 1,785 babies were named Shaquille, its highest rank at 181st.