Shiv

Shiv - A very unique male name

Shiv appeared on the charts for the first time in 1991 on position #3476. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Shiv and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Shiv? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Shiv. The baby boy name Shiv was given to 56 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1629 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 26,184 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Shiv peaked in popularity 12 years ago in 2014 on position 1484.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Shiv, 1-5?

Shiv is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Shiv is currently topping the baby name charts in New Jersey at position #599 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,899.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Shiv is where you live.

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Shiv origin and meaning

Indian — form of Shiva

From Shiva, the Hindu god whose name means 'auspicious, benevolent'

Shiv is the Hindi form of Shiva, one of the principal gods of Hinduism, and works in India both as a name in its own right and as a short form. In the US it has been used in small, steady numbers since the 1990s, mostly in Indian families.

Attested etymology

Shiv is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Shiv, pop culture references for the name Shiv and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Shiv

We've found the following names that sound similar to Shiv, sorted by popularity.

Saif / Skip / Sahib / Suhayb / Shiva / Sophia / Suhaib / Shubh / Shivaay / Shep /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Shiv

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Shiv a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Shiv?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

SHIV · /ʃɪv/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Shiva — The fuller form; a separate established name.

Famous bearers

• Shiv Kumar Batalvi — Punjabi poet, known by his first names Shiv Kumar (1936–1973) Historical

Style

InternationalShort form

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Shiv for its direct connection to Shiva and its clean, single-syllable strength.

Worth knowing

• In English, 'shiv' is also slang for a makeshift knife — a real association to weigh, and the Succession character Shiv Roy adds a female namesake.