Shadrack Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SHAD-rak //ˈʃædræk//
Origin: Hebrew
Meaning: Hebrew: 'the command of God'
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Shadrack is of Hebrew origin, derived from the name שַׁדְרַךְ (Shadrach), which is believed to mean "command of Aku," with Aku being a Babylonian moon god. The name appears in the biblical Book of Daniel, specifically in the narrative of the Babylonian exile, where Shadrack is one of the three Hebrew youths (alongside Meshach and Abednego) who are thrown into a fiery furnace for refusing to worship an idol.
This account is dated to the 6th century BCE, during the Babylonian captivity of the Israelites, and has been a significant story in Jewish and Christian traditions, illustrating themes of faith and divine protection. The name Shadrack was transmitted into Greek through the Septuagint, an ancient translation of the Hebrew Bible, and subsequently into Latin.
It was later adopted into Old French and eventually made its way into Middle English. The biblical story of Shadrack gained further prominence during the Reformation, particularly with the translation of the Bible into English, including the King James Version published in 1611, which solidified the name's presence in Christian literature and culture.
Culturally, Shadrack has come to symbolize steadfastness in faith and resistance against oppression, reflecting the broader themes of courage found in the biblical narrative. The name has also been associated with various artistic and literary works that draw upon the biblical story, reinforcing its significance in religious and cultural contexts.
Additionally, the diminutive form "Shad" has been used informally, though it is less common in historical texts. Overall, Shadrack's enduring legacy is rooted in its rich historical and cultural associations.
Fictional characters named Shadrack
The following list of fictional characters named Shadrack is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
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Shadrack is a fictional character from the novel Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison. He is a significant figure representing themes of death and resurrection in the story.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Shadrack, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Shadrack. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Shadrack was first seen in the United States in 1971.
Shadrack has ranked as high as #1064 nationally, which occurred in 1973, and has been most popular in .
In the past 5 years the name Shadrack has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Shadrack is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Shadrack was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Shadrack
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
No state data available for this year.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Shadrack.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 6 |
| 2017 | 6 |
| 2013 | 6 |
| 2012 | 8 |
| 2009 | 5 |
| 2007 | 8 |
| 2006 | 7 |
| 2005 | 6 |
| 2001 | 5 |
| 1995 | 5 |
| 1994 | 5 |
| 1993 | 5 |
| 1992 | 7 |
| 1984 | 5 |
| 1981 | 6 |
| 1980 | 7 |
| 1979 | 5 |
| 1976 | 6 |
| 1973 | 9 |
| 1971 | 6 |