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Shaakira
How to Pronounce Shaakira
Pronounced shuh-KEE-ruh /ʃəˈkiː.rə/Medium
Meaning: Shaakira is a spelling of the Arabic Shakira, the feminine of Shakir, from the root sh-k-r meaning 'thankful' or 'grateful.' Gratitude to God is a cherished virtue in Islam, giving the name a warm, faithful sense.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Shaakira is a spelling of the Arabic Shakira, feminine of Shakir, from the root sh-k-r, 'thankful, grateful.' As Arabic and Muslim names spread among American families, including Black American Muslim communities, Shaakira entered United States birth records in the mid-1970s. It first appears around 1976 and touched a small high around 1991, with use into the 2000s.
It was never common in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year even at its peak. The Shakira spelling later gained global fame through the Colombian singer, but this doubled-a form stayed a quiet heritage name.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Shaakira mean?
It is a spelling of the Arabic Shakira, meaning 'thankful' or 'grateful.'
How do you pronounce Shaakira?
It's said shuh-KEE-ruh /ʃəˈkiː.rə/, three syllables with the stress in the middle.
Is Shaakira a boy or girl name?
Shaakira is used as a girl's name; it is the feminine of the Arabic Shakir.
How popular is Shaakira?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak in the early nineteen-nineties.