By Kelli Brady of NameFreak!

　　When people ask me what letter I would use if I had to name ten children with the same letter, my answer is S. But I also clarify that it is S and not Sh! To me, since they are different sounds they are different “letters” with which to begin a name. As my mind ran with this thought, I wondered how have the two sounds differed in terms of popularity?

　　To do this research, I used the S and Sh names with percentage of use above 0.01% since 1938*. This cutoff was chosen because the Top 1000 in 2012 include names with a percentage higher than 0.0131% for girls. Because the S and Sh sounds are not exclusive to the letters S and Sh, I also added the names that begin with the letters C and Ch that have the S and Sh sounds. This can be subjective as some of the names can be pronounced with either the S/Sh sound or the hard C/Ch sound, but I went with what I thought would be the mostly likely sound heard. 

　　I can’t say this graph is surprising. We do not hear as many Sh-sound names currently save Charlotte.

　　It’s fascinating that even though there are less Sh/Ch names (120) than S/C names (153) included in these numbers, the Sh/Ch names are pretty equal to the S/C names in the late 1930s and remain relatively high through the 1960s, undoubtedly due to the popularity of Shirley, Sharon, and Cheryl. Other highly popular Sh/Ch names since 1938 are Shannon, Shelby, Sheila, Sherry, and Charlotte, all with percentages of 0.3% and higher at some point. To give perspective on that percentage, the girl names ranked #32 and higher in 2012 had percentages of use higher than 0.3%.

　　The S/C names reached their peak in the 1950s with the popularity of Susan, Sandra, and Cynthia. Other highly popular S/C names since 1938 are Sarah, Stephanie, Samantha, Sophia, Cindy, Sara, Sydney, Stacy, Sofia, Stacey, Sally, Suzanne, Sylvia, Savannah, Sabrina, and Sierra (again, all with percentages of 0.3% and higher at some point).

　　If you are curious as to the names included in this study, here is a list. These names could have appeared in just one year or remained fairly popular throughout the years.

　　S & C

　　Cecelia

　　Cyndi

　　Sandi

　　Selene

　　Sonya

　　Sunny

　　Cecile

　　Cynthia

　　Sandra

　　Selina

　　Sophia

　　Sunshine

　　Cecilia

　　Saanvi

　　Sandy

　　Serena

　　Sophie

　　Suri

　　Cecily

　　Sabrina

　　Saniya

　　Serenity

　　Soraya

　　Susan

　　Celena

　　Sade

　　Saniyah

　　Serina

　　Spring

　　Susana

　　Celeste

　　Sadie

　　Santana

　　Sidney

　　Stacey

　　Susanna

　　Celestine

　　Sage

　　Sara

　　Siena

　　Staci

　　Susanne

　　Celia

　　Sahara

　　Sarah

　　Sienna

　　Stacia

　　Susie

　　Celina

　　Saige

　　Sarahi

　　Sierra

　　Stacie

　　Sutton

　　Celine

　　Salena

　　Sarai

　　Silvia

　　Stacy

　　Suzan

　　Ciara

　　Salina

　　Sariah

　　Simone

　　Star

　　Suzanna

　　Ciarra

　　Sallie

　　Sarina

　　Sky

　　Starla

　　Suzanne

　　Cicely

　　Sally

　　Sariyah

　　Skye

　　Starr

　　Suzette

　　Cielo

　　Salma

　　Sasha

　　Skyla

　　Stefani

　　Suzy

　　Ciera

　　Samantha

　　Saundra

　　Skylar

　　Stefanie

　　Sybil

　　Cierra

　　Samara

　　Savana

　　Skyler

　　Stella

　　Syble

　　Ciji

　　Samaria

　　Savanah

　　Sloan

　　Stephaine

　　Sydnee

　　Cinda

　　Samatha

　　Savanna

　　Sloane

　　Stephani

　　Sydney

　　Cindi

　　Samaya

　　Savannah

　　Sofia

　　Stephanie

　　Sydni

　　Cindy

　　Samira

　　Sawyer

　　Sofie

　　Stephany

　　Sydnie

　　Cinnamon

　　Samiya

　　Saylor

　　Somaya

　　Stephenie

　　Sylvia

　　Cinthia

　　Samiyah

　　Scarlet

　　Sommer

　　Stevie

　　Symone

　　Citlali

　　Sammie

　　Scarlett

　　Sondra

　　Stormy

　　Syreeta

　　Citlalli

　　Samya

　　Scarlette

　　Sonia

　　Sue

　　Citlaly

　　Sanaa

　　Selah

　　Sonja

　　Suellen

　　Cydney

　　Sanai

　　Selena

　　Sonji

　　Summer

　　Sh & Ch

　　Chanel

　　Cheyenne

　　Shanika

　　Sharla

　　Sheena

　　Sherrie

　　Chanelle

　　Shae

　　Shaniqua

　　Sharlene

　　Sheila

　　Sherrill

　　Chantal

　　Shaila

　　Shanita

　　Sharon

　　Shelba

　　Sherry

　　Chante

　　Shaina

　　Shaniya

　　Sharonda

　　Shelbi

　　Sherryl

　　Chantel

　　Shakira

　　Shaniyah

　　Sharron

　　Shelbie

　　Sheryl

　　Chantelle

　　Shalon

　　Shanna

　　Sharyn

　　Shelby

　　Sheyla

　　Charisse

　　Shalonda

　　Shannan

　　Shasta

　　Shelia

　　Shianne

　　Charla

　　Shameka

　　Shannen

　　Shauna

　　Shelley

　　Shiela

　　Charleen

　　Shamika

　　Shannon

　　Shaunna

　　Shelli

　　Shiloh

　　Charlene

　　Shana

　　Shanon

　　Shavon

　　Shellie

　　Shirl

　　Charlize

　　Shanae

　　Shanta

　　Shavonne

　　Shelly

　　Shirlee

　　Charlotte

　　Shanda

　　Shante

　　Shawanda

　　Shelva

　　Shirlene

　　Charmaine

　　Shane

　　Shantel

　　Shawn

　　Shena

　　Shirley

　　Cher

　　Shanell

　　Shantell

　　Shawna

　　Sheree

　　Shonda

　　Cheri

　　Shanelle

　　Shaquana

　　Shawnee

　　Sheri

　　Shonna

　　Cherie

　　Shanequa

　　Shara

　　Shawnte

　　Sheridan

　　Shreya

　　Cherrelle

　　Shani

　　Shardae

　　Shayla

　　Sherie

　　Shyann

　　Cheryl

　　Shania

　　Sharde

　　Shaylee

　　Sherita

　　Shyanne

　　Cheryle

　　Shanice

　　Sharen

　　Shayna

　　Sherlyn

　　Shyla

　　Cheyanne

　　Shaniece

　　Shari

　　Shea

　　Sherri

　　Siobhan

　　Do you prefer S or Sh names for girls? Do you consider them different as I do?

　　*I calculated the percentage of use for each name using the raw number of births for the year and dividing it by the total number of girl births for the year. The Social Security Administration has only provided the total number of births for each year since 1938.

　　Originally posted at NameFreak! on March 5, 2014 and revised for Nameberry.