Arsham
A Persian masculine name meaning "the immortal" or "eternal".
Name Census estimates that about 11 living Americans carry the first name Arsham. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Arsham today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Arsham births was 2019 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Arsham. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Arsham with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Arsham. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
11
~ 1 in 31,159,485 Americans
Peak year
2019
6 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2024 SSA rank
#12,456
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Arsham: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Arsham from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 6 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Arsham by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Arsham during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Arsham
The name Arsham is of Persian origin, with roots dating back to ancient Persia (modern-day Iran) and the Middle Persian language. It is derived from the Persian word "Aršam," which means "lion-like" or "brave as a lion."
In ancient Persian mythology, the lion was revered as a symbol of courage, strength, and royal power. The name Arsham was often given to boys born into noble or warrior families, reflecting the hope that they would embody these qualities as they grew into men.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Arsham can be found in the Shahnameh, the epic poem written by the renowned Persian poet Ferdowsi in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. In this literary masterpiece, Arsham is mentioned as the name of a brave warrior who fought alongside the legendary heroes of ancient Persia.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Arsham. One such individual was Arsham, a 14th-century Persian poet and scholar who was renowned for his contributions to the field of literature and philosophy. Another was Arsham Khosravani, a 16th-century Persian military commander who played a significant role in the wars against the Ottoman Empire during the Safavid Dynasty.
In the 18th century, Arsham Qoli Khan was a prominent Iranian statesman and diplomat who served as the Prime Minister of Iran during the reign of Nader Shah. He was instrumental in negotiating treaties and maintaining diplomatic relations with neighboring countries.
In more modern times, Arsham Arash was a 20th-century Iranian painter and sculptor who gained international recognition for his avant-garde artwork. He was born in 1924 and his works are displayed in various galleries and museums around the world.
Another notable figure named Arsham was Arsham Mirshahi, a renowned Iranian actor and director who was born in 1945. He made significant contributions to the Iranian film industry and was widely acclaimed for his performances in both cinematic and theatrical productions.
People
Arsham + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Arsham as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with A
Other first names starting with A with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Arsham: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Arsham?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 11 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Arsham going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 31,159,485 US residents.
Is Arsham a common name?
We classify Arsham as "Very Rare". It ranks above 30.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 11 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Arsham most popular?
The single biggest year for Arsham was 2019, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Arsham is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Arsham in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Arsham a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Arsham in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Arsham still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Arsham in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Arsham can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Arsham?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.