Nishiv
An Indian name meaning "one who stays close" or "faithful one".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Nishiv. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Nishiv today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Nishiv births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Nishiv. 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 Nishiv with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Nishiv. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,584
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Nishiv: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Nishiv 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 Nishiv during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 10 | 0 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Nishiv
The name Nishiv originates from Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that dates back to the 2nd millennium BCE. It is believed to be derived from the root word "nish," which means "night" or "darkness," and "iv," which means "ruler" or "lord." As such, the name Nishiv can be interpreted to mean "Lord of the Night" or "Ruler of Darkness."
This name is deeply rooted in Hindu mythology and ancient Indian literature. One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the Vedas, a collection of sacred texts that form the foundation of Hinduism. In these texts, Nishiv is sometimes used as an epithet for deities associated with the night, such as Shiva or Chandra (the Moon god).
The first recorded use of Nishiv as a given name dates back to the 6th century CE, during the Gupta Empire period in ancient India. One of the earliest known individuals to bear this name was Nishiv Gupta, a renowned scholar and philosopher who made significant contributions to the field of astronomy and mathematics.
Throughout history, several notable figures have carried the name Nishiv. In the 11th century, Nishiv Sharma was a prominent Hindu scholar and author who wrote extensively on the Vedas and other sacred texts. Nishiv Rai, born in the 15th century, was a renowned poet and mystic who composed numerous devotional works in praise of the divine.
During the Mughal Empire era in the 16th century, Nishiv Khan was a celebrated military commander and strategist who played a crucial role in several important battles. In more recent times, Nishiv Nanavati (1920-2003) was an Indian naval officer and businessman who gained notoriety for being involved in a high-profile murder trial in the late 1950s.
While the name Nishiv is not as common today as it once was, it continues to hold significance in certain regions of India, particularly among Hindu communities. The name's rich historical and cultural associations with ancient Indian literature, mythology, and notable figures have contributed to its enduring legacy.
People
Nishiv + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Nishiv 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
Nishiv: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Nishiv?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Nishiv 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Nishiv a common name?
We classify Nishiv as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Nishiv most popular?
The single biggest year for Nishiv was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Nishiv is about 4 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 Nishiv in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Nishiv a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Nishiv 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 Nishiv still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Nishiv 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 Nishiv 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 Nishiv?
You can see how many people share the name Nishiv on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.