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Shama
How to Pronounce Shama
Pronounced SHAH-mah /ΛΚΙΛ.mΙ/Medium
Meaning: Shama comes from the Persian and Urdu shama, meaning 'lamp' or 'candle,' a poetic image of light used widely as a given name in South Asian and Persian-speaking Muslim communities.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880βpresent). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Shama is a genuine Persian and Urdu given name meaning 'lamp' or 'candle,' from a poetic tradition where light stands for guidance, love, or hope. It is used across South Asian and Persian-speaking Muslim families.
Shama was never common in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak around 1979, with steady light use continuing among South Asian American families into the 2020s.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Shama mean?
It is Persian and Urdu for 'lamp' or 'candle,' a poetic image of light.
How do you pronounce Shama?
It is said SHAH-mah /ΛΚΙΛ.mΙ/, two syllables with the stress on the first.
Is Shama a boy or girl name?
Shama is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Shama?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only about twenty girls a year at its peak in the late nineteen-seventies, with light steady use among South Asian American families since.