girl's name
Shauntai
shawn-TAY (English)
- Origin Disputed (American coinage)
- Gender Girl
- Syllables 2
- Letters 8
- Births on record 31
Shauntai is a rare American girl's name from the 1970s whose origin is disputed. Reference sites call it a form of Shantae or Chantal, or of the Sanskrit Shanta, and others admit no documented history. It belongs to a family of inventive African American names of the era.
- Peaked in 1977, when 7 babies were given the name.
- It has largely dropped out of use.
- First appears in US birth records in 1977.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 2.
Shauntai Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1970s to 1980s.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1970s | 7 |
| 1980s | 24 |
What Shauntai Means
The meaning of Shauntai is unsettled. Readings such as stony place, through Chantal, and peaceful, through Shanta, depend entirely on which older name a writer treats as its parent.
Where Shauntai Comes From
NameDiscoveries calls Shauntai an African American variant of Shantae, tracing it to French Chantal. Another site links it instead to Shanta, a Sanskrit word meaning calm. Check Pregnancy says that it has no well-documented history, and NameVerseHub describes a blend of French-sounding and English rhythms. Only a handful of American girls received the name, in the late 1970s and 1980s, which leaves almost no record to work from. The sound clearly belongs with Shauna, Shantel and Shanice, a style that grew in the same decades, when parents built new names from familiar parts.
Shauntai in Use
Black American families developed a remarkable tradition of original names after the 1960s, with sounds such as Sha- and -tai carrying a sense of style and identity. A name in that tradition draws its meaning from family and community.
How Popular Is Shauntai?
In 1987, Shauntai was given to 6 babies in the United States. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published figures for the United States.
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Shauntai
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Shauntai Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Shauntai over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
How to Say Shauntai
- English shawn-TAY
Sibling Names for Shauntai
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Shauntai — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Shauntai
What does the name Shauntai mean?
No meaning is agreed. It's linked variously to Chantal and to Sanskrit Shanta.
Why do sources disagree about Shauntai?
It's an American coinage with very few bearers, so sites work backward from similar names.
How do you pronounce Shauntai?
Usually shawn-TAY.
How popular is the name Shauntai?
In 1987, Shauntai was given to 6 babies in the United States. It was given to fewer than five babies in the most recent year of published figures for the United States.
Is Shauntai a girl's or a boy's name?
Shauntai is given almost entirely to girls in birth records.
How many syllables are in Shauntai?
Shauntai has 2 syllables.
When was Shauntai most popular?
Shauntai peaked in 1977, when 7 babies were given the name. It has largely dropped out of use.