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Shire
How to Pronounce Shire
Pronounced SHYR /ˈʃaɪər/Medium
Meaning: Two honest routes: the English word shire ('a county'), famous as Tolkien's Shire; and the Somali Shire, both a personal name and a place-name in the Horn of Africa (where it is often said closer to 'SHEER-eh'). Here we give the one-syllable English reading.Low
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
Shire is the English word for a county, made famous by Tolkien; it is also a Somali personal name and a place in the Horn of Africa. We give the one-syllable English reading (said 'SHYR'); routes differ, which we note.
It appears only in the rarest tier for U.S. girls. Newly emerging and word-bright.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Shire mean?
Shire is the English word for a county — famous as Tolkien's Shire — and also a Somali name and place. Two honest routes, which we note.
How do you pronounce Shire?
It's said SHYR /ˈʃaɪər/ — one syllable.
Where does the name Shire come from?
It comes both from the English word 'shire' (a county) and from a Somali name and place, where it is often said 'SHEER-eh'. We give the one-syllable English reading.
How popular is Shire?
Shire is extremely rare for girls in the U.S. — a newly emerging pick.