Shiva
Shiva, also known as Mahadeva and Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.
- Hinduism
- Telugu
- Tamil
- Kannada
Meaning & Origin of Shiva
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Shiva, also known as Mahadeva and Hara, is one of the principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions within Hinduism.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Hinduism
- Telugu
- Tamil
- Kannada
- Malayalam
- Nepali
- Persian
The Story of Shiva
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Shiva as a girl name dates back to 1968, when 5 babies received it. 1993 was its biggest year on record, with 13 newborns named Shiva — #6,621 in the national rankings. About 26% of every Shiva on record arrived during the 1980s, its defining decade. Shiva last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 7 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 284 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1960s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Shiva first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1980, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2021: 24 births, good for #4,246 nationwide. About 28% of every Shiva on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Shiva ranks #5,162 for boys with 19 births, gradually rising (+10%). All told, over 556 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Shiva
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Shiva. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Shiva
Phonetically similar names — useful when Shiva 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 Shiva
What does the name Shiva mean?
What is the origin of the name Shiva?
How popular is Shiva in 2026?
When was Shiva most popular?
In which U.S. states is Shiva most popular?
Is Shiva a unisex name?
What names go well with Shiva?
What are nicknames or variants of Shiva?
About the name Shiva
Shiva is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1980 and has accumulated 556 births in the dataset. Shiva's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #3,738. Use the chart and map above to compare Shiva's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2021 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.