Shani
Shani, or Shanaishchara, is the divine personification of the planet Saturn in Hinduism, and is one of the nine heavenly objects (Navagraha) in Hindu astrology. Shani is also a male Hindu deity in the Puranas, whose iconography consists of a figure with a dark complexion carrying a sword or danda (sceptre) and sitting on a buffalo or some times on a crow.
- Hebrew
- Hinduism
Meaning & Origin of Shani
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shani, or Shanaishchara, is the divine personification of the planet Saturn in Hinduism, and is one of the nine heavenly objects (Navagraha) in Hindu astrology. Shani is also a male Hindu deity in the Puranas, whose iconography consists of a figure with a dark complexion carrying a sword or danda (sceptre) and sitting on a buffalo or some times on a crow.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hebrew
- Hinduism
The Story of Shani
Shani first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1962, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1969, when 223 Shanis were born — ranking #664 that year. As of 2026, Shani ranks #6,039 for baby girls with 20 births, rising sharply (+46% over the past five years). In total, more than 5K Shanis have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Shani
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shani is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Shani
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About the name Shani
Shani is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1962 and has accumulated 5K births in the dataset. Shani's peak popularity came in 1969 when it ranked #664. Use the chart and map above to compare Shani's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1969 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.