Shiva

Shiva - A very unique male name

Shiva appeared on the charts for the first time in 1988 on position #2996. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Shiva and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Shiva? 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 Shiva. The baby boy name Shiva was given to 5 baby boys in 2025, ranking #4276 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 293,257 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Shiva peaked in popularity 24 years ago in 2002 on position 2475.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Shiva, 1-5?

Shiva is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Shiva is currently topping the baby name charts in California at position #2,759 - and is the least popular in California at position #2,759.

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 Shiva is where you live.

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Shiva origin and meaning

Sanskrit (Hindu)

From Sanskrit Shiva, 'auspicious, benevolent' — the name of the great Hindu god of destruction and renewal

Shiva is one of the three principal deities of Hinduism, and the name is used for US boys mainly in Hindu families, appearing since 1988. It is a sacred name, chosen with religious intent rather than as a sound.

Attested etymology

Shiva is a 5 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Shiva

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

Saif / Shiv / Skip / Sahib / Suhayb / 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 Shiva

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 Shiva 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 Shiva?

2 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

SHEE-vuh · /ˈʃiːvə/

Around the world

• Shiva (Sanskrit) — The same name in its source tradition.

Famous bearers

• Shiva — Supreme Hindu deity, destroyer and transformer within the Trimurti (Hindu tradition) Fictional

Style

MythologicalInternational

Why parents choose it

A name of deep religious significance for Hindu families.

Worth knowing

• Outside Hindu contexts it may be misread as the unrelated English name Sheba or the Jewish shiva mourning period — a real and sensitive confusion.