Shawnie is of American origin, derived from the surname Shawnee, which is of Native American ancestry and means 'southwesterners'. The name Shawnie is often considered a unisex name but is more commonly used for females. It gained popularity in the United States during the 1970s and has since maintained a steady presence on baby name lists.
The name Shawnie experienced significant fluctuations in popularity throughout its history, with peaks in the late 1960s and early 1970s. It first appeared in 1949 but remained rare until the mid-1960s when it began to gain traction, reaching its highest point in 1971 with 25 births. However, popularity declined sharply thereafter, and since the late 1990s, Shawnie has been quite uncommon, with fewer than 10 births per year most years.