Total births
543
Unisex name · since 1980
Shiva
Shiva has 543 recorded births since 1980 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2021 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #5523
- among boys today
- 543
- born since 1980
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 61%
- more common than other boys
543 babies have been named Shiva since 1980, making it today's #5523 unisex name.
Shiva has 543 recorded births among boys since 1980, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #5523 as of the latest data, more common than 61% of boys, busiest in the 2000s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1980 to 2025.
- #5523 among boys today
- 543 born since 1980
- 2000s peak decade
- 61% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Shiva is currently the #5523 unisex name in America, more common than 61% of boys - 543 born since 1980, peaking in the 2000s.
- #5523
- among boys today
- 543
- born since 1980
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 61%
- more common than other boys
Shiva vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#5523
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 61% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
29% of everyone ever named Shiva was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
24 babies were named Shiva in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Shiva compares
543 Top 42% higher than 58% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Shiva's all-time total is 48% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Shiva | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 543 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 24 | 23 | 22,252 |
Shiva's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Shiva splits its recorded history at 2006: 55% of all births land in the more recent half, 45% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1980 (6 births) -- compare that against the 2021 peak of 24 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Shiva at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2021
Current rank
#5,523
Active since
1980
Shiva popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1980–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 24
- Annual births at peak, across 46 years of records
Shiva popularity over time - girls
284 total births recorded since 1968 (Shiva as girls' name)
Shiva by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Shiva's strongest decade.
158 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 29% of all-time use.
Shiva births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1980s 27
1980s
27 births
- 1990s
1990s
113 births
- 2000s
2000s
158 births
- 2010s
2010s
133 births
- 2020s
2020s
112 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 158 births (29% of all-time use).
How Shiva compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Shiva's total volume
Shiva vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Shiva by state
Where Shiva concentrates geographically, total births since 1980
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 45 | 8.3% |
| #2 | New York | | 16 | 2.9% |
| #3 | Texas | | 5 | 0.9% |
California share of Shiva's total US births 8.3%
Even split
45 of 543 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 3 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Shiva? ▼
543 babies have been named Shiva since 1980. It currently ranks #5523 among boys. The peak year was 2021 with 24 births.
When was Shiva most popular? ▼
Shiva was most popular in the 2000s decade with 158 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Shiva most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Shiva are California (45 births), New York (16 births), Texas (5 births).
Is Shiva a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Shiva is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 543 births, and as a girl's name it has 284 births.
How long has the name Shiva been used? ▼
Shiva has been recorded in Social Security data since 1980, spanning 46 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Shiva? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Shirley, Shiloh, Shimon, Shia, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Shiva's data
- Shiva's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (158 total births) through the 2020s (112) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Shivas (45 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Shiva
Nearby Names Like Shiva
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Shiva
Shirley Boy
9,551 births
Shiloh Boy
#334 9,414 births
Shimon Boy
#915 5,492 births
Shia Boy
#1199 2,255 births
Shiv Boy
#1791 2,193 births
Compare Shiva side by side: Shiva vs Shirley Shiva vs Shiloh Shiva vs Shimon
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Shiva
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1980–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Shiva: #5523 Unisex Name - 543 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/shiva. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Shiva draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.