Nishawn
Of Native American origin, meaning "peaceful".
Name Census estimates that about 68 living Americans carry the first name Nishawn. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nishawn today is around 19 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nishawn births was 2006 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nishawn. 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 Nishawn. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
68
~ 1 in 5,040,505 Americans
Peak year
2006
9 babies that year
Average age
19
years old
2019 SSA rank
#13,551
Tracked since 1995
Popularity
Nishawn: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Nishawn from the 1990s through to the 2010s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 30 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
Nishawn 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 Nishawn 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 Nishawn
The name Nishawn has its origins in the Persian language and culture, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Persian word "nishaan," which means "sign" or "mark." The name was likely given to individuals who possessed distinctive physical traits or had achieved notable accomplishments that served as a "mark" or symbol of their identity.
In the ancient Persian literary tradition, the name Nishawn is mentioned in several poetic works, particularly those of the celebrated poet Hafez, who lived from 1315 to 1390 CE. Hafez's ghazals (poetic compositions) often featured references to individuals with unique names, and Nishawn was one such name that appeared in his writings.
The earliest recorded individual with the name Nishawn dates back to the 16th century during the Safavid dynasty in Persia (modern-day Iran). Nishawn Beg was a prominent military commander who served under Shah Ismail I, the founder of the Safavid Empire. He played a crucial role in several military campaigns and was renowned for his strategic skills and bravery on the battlefield.
Another notable figure in history with the name Nishawn was Nishawn Khan, a powerful nobleman and governor during the Mughal Empire in the 17th century. He served under the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb and was entrusted with the administration of several provinces, including Bengal and Orissa. Nishawn Khan was renowned for his efficient governance and administrative abilities.
In the realm of literature, Nishawn Rafiuddin was a celebrated Persian poet who lived in the 18th century. He was known for his mastery of the ghazal form and his poetic works that explored themes of love, spirituality, and the human condition. His poetry was widely acclaimed and influenced many subsequent poets in the region.
Another prominent figure with the name Nishawn was Nishawn Hussain, a renowned artist and calligrapher from the 19th century. He was born in Persia and later migrated to India, where he gained recognition for his exquisite calligraphic works and paintings. Nishawn Hussain's artworks were highly sought after by noble patrons and are now preserved in various museums and collections around the world.
While the name Nishawn has its roots in the Persian language and culture, it has also been adopted and used in various regions influenced by Persian traditions, including parts of Central Asia, the Middle East, and the Indian subcontinent. The name continues to hold cultural significance and carries a rich historical legacy associated with its origins and the notable individuals who have borne it throughout the centuries.
People
Nishawn + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nishawn 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
Nishawn: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nishawn?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 68 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nishawn 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 5,040,505 US residents.
Is Nishawn a common name?
We classify Nishawn as "Very Rare". It ranks above 58.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 69 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nishawn most popular?
The single biggest year for Nishawn was 2006, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nishawn is about 19 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 Nishawn in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nishawn a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nishawn 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 Nishawn still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nishawn 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 Nishawn 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 Americans are named Nishawn?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.