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
Shiva first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1968, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1993, when 13 Shivas were born — ranking #6,621 that year. As of 2026, Shiva ranks #12,120 for girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 284 Shivas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1960s through 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. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 24 Shivas were born — ranking #4,246 that year. As of 2026, Shiva ranks #5,162 for boys with 19 births, gradually rising (+10%). In total, more than 556 Shivas have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1980s through 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?
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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.