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Home › Baby Names Directory › Shantae

Shantae

♀ Girl

Pronounced shahn-TAY /ʃɑːnˈteɪ/Medium

Meaning: Shantae is a modern spelling in the Shante/Chante family, from the French chante, 'sung' (the past participle of chanter, 'to sing'). The -ae ending is one of several stylings of a name that African American families embraced for its musical sound and its French flavor; the 'sung' sense comes through the chante root.Low

In 30 seconds: Shantae (said 'shahn-TAY') is a lyrical coinage from the French for 'sung,' in the Chante family — a name that literally carries a note of music.
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Origin LowEnglish, French
MeaningShantae is a modern spelling in the Shante/Chante family, from the French chante, 'sung' (the past participle of chanter, 'to sing'). The -ae ending is one of several stylings of a name that African American families embraced for its musical sound and its French flavor; the 'sung' sense comes through the chante root.
U.S. rank (2019)#17603 ↗ Rising
2019 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1986
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,583

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 198619692019

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

Shantae is a spelling in the Shante/Chante family, from the French chante, 'sung.' Names with this musical French root spread in African American communities in the 1970s-90s. Shantae appears in the records from the late 1960s, peaked around 1986, and eased off through the 2010s.

A Shantae from the mid-eighties peak is now in her late thirties, a Gen-X-to-Millennial name. It reads as a name of that era rather than a reviving classic and remains uncommon, though its 'sung' meaning gives it lasting charm. Parents who like it also like Chante and Shantel; it carries the nickname Shan and pairs with siblings such as Andre or Deja.

Did you know? Shantae has a song built in: it comes from the French chante, 'sung,' so a girl named Shantae wears the past participle of 'to sing' as her name.
Overall data confidence 48%
References — Shantae — Coined; French chante 'sung', Chante family; c.1986 peak

Variations

ShanteChanteShantay

Nicknames

ShanTae

Famous Bearers

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If you like Shantae…

Shante— a same-family spelling of the name
Chante— the French-rooted base of the group
Shantel— a like Shan- girl's name of the era
Shanta— another soft Shan- coinage

Explore names like Shantae

By themecoined1980sfrench-root

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Shantae mean?

Shantae is a modern spelling in the Chante family, from the French chante, 'sung.'

How do you pronounce Shantae?

It's said shahn-TAY /ʃɑːnˈteɪ/ — two syllables, stress on the second.

Is Shantae a boy or girl name?

Shantae is used as a girl's name, always as a girl's name.

How popular is Shantae?

Shantae was an uncommon coinage that peaked in the mid-eighties and has been rare since; it has not revived.

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