Shakeema is a unique and captivating feminine name of African origin, derived from the Swahili word "shake" which means "all." It is believed to have been popularized by the author Toni Morrison in her novel "Beloved," where she used it as one of the characters' names.
The meaning behind Shakeema is profound and inspiring. As it translates to "all," it suggests completeness, unity, and wholeness. This significance makes it a powerful choice for parents who wish to bestow their daughter with a name that carries deep symbolism.
While there isn't much historical information about the use of this name prior to its appearance in Morrison's novel, its Swahili origins trace back centuries to East Africa. In Swahili culture, names often hold significant meaning and are chosen with care. Therefore, it is likely that Shakeema was used among Swahili communities long before it gained wider recognition.
Today, Shakeema remains a rare and distinctive name, reserved for those who wish to honor African heritage or appreciate the beauty of its symbolic meaning. It is often spelled in various ways such as Shakeima, Shakiema, or even Shakima, adding to its unique charm.
Based on the statistics provided for the name Shakeema in the United States from 1974 to 2005, we can observe several trends and patterns:
* The popularity of the name increased significantly during the late 1970s and early 1980s. In just seven years (from 1976 to 1983), the number of births with the name Shakeema more than quadrupled, from 7 births in 1976 to 30 births in 1983.
* The peak popularity of the name was reached in 1993 with a total of 47 births that year. This is the highest number of births recorded for this name during the period covered by these statistics.
* After reaching its peak, the popularity of the name began to decline steadily. From 1994 onwards, the number of births with the name Shakeema decreased significantly each year until it reached an all-time low in 2005 with only 5 births recorded that year.
* Overall, there were a total of 629 births with the name Shakeema in the United States between 1974 and 2005. This indicates that while the name may not have been extremely popular throughout this entire period, it was still used consistently enough to result in hundreds of babies being named Shakeema during these years.
* It's worth noting that there are some gaps in the statistics provided (e.g., no data for 1973, 1989-1990, 2002, and 2004). Therefore, it might be possible that the popularity of the name was even higher than these figures suggest during those years.