Nishav
A masculine name of Indian origin meaning "leader" or "night-born".
Name Census estimates that about 6 living Americans carry the first name Nishav. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nishav today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nishav births was 2019 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nishav. 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.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nishav. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
6
~ 1 in 57,125,723 Americans
Peak year
2019
6 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2019 SSA rank
#11,745
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Nishav: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nishav 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 Nishav during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nishav
The name Nishav has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was widely spoken in ancient India. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "nish," meaning night, and "av," which means protection or shelter. Thus, the name Nishav can be interpreted to mean "one who provides protection at night" or "guardian of the night."
In Hindu mythology, there are references to deities and celestial beings associated with the night, such as Ratri, the personification of night, and Chandra, the moon god. While the name Nishav itself is not directly mentioned in ancient Hindu texts, its meaning aligns with the reverence for the celestial bodies and the importance of protection during the night hours.
The earliest recorded use of the name Nishav can be traced back to the 8th century CE, during the reign of the Rashtrakuta dynasty in the Deccan region of India. One notable figure from this period was Nishav Shilpi, an architect and sculptor who is credited with designing and constructing several temples and monuments in the Rashtrakuta kingdom.
In the 12th century, there was a famous Indian mathematician and astronomer named Nishav Bhatt, who made significant contributions to the field of trigonometry. His works, such as the "Nishav Siddhanta," which dealt with astronomical calculations and planetary movements, were widely studied and referenced by scholars of his time.
During the Mughal era in India, which spanned from the 16th to the 19th century, the name Nishav was also found among the nobility and aristocracy. One prominent figure was Nishav Khan, a military commander who served under the Mughal Emperor Akbar and played a crucial role in several military campaigns.
Another notable individual with the name Nishav was Nishav Singh, a Rajput warrior and ruler who lived in the 17th century. He is renowned for his bravery and leadership in defending his kingdom against invaders and is celebrated in local folklore and legends.
In more recent times, the name Nishav has been used across various regions of India, particularly in the northern and western parts of the country. While its popularity may have fluctuated over the centuries, the name's rich history and meaningful connotations have ensured its enduring presence in Indian culture and society.
People
Nishav + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nishav as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with N
Other first names starting with N with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Nishav: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nishav?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 6 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nishav 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 57,125,723 US residents.
Is Nishav a common name?
We classify Nishav as "Very Rare". It ranks above 22.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nishav most popular?
The single biggest year for Nishav was 2019, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nishav is about 7 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 Nishav in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nishav a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nishav 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 Nishav still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nishav 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 Nishav 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 share the name Nishav?
Find out how many people share the name Nishav on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.