Shabd
Derived from the Sanskrit word meaning "word" or "sound".
Name Census estimates that about 12 living Americans carry the first name Shabd. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shabd today is around 18 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shabd births was 2007 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shabd. 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 Shabd. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
12
~ 1 in 28,562,862 Americans
Peak year
2007
7 babies that year
Average age
18
years old
2008 SSA rank
#14,273
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Shabd: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Shabd 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 Shabd during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 12 | 0 | 12 |
Geography
Where Shabds live
Origin
Meaning and history of Shabd
The name Shabd has its origins in the Sanskrit language, an ancient Indo-Aryan language from the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "shabda," which means "word," "sound," or "speech." The term "shabda" holds significant importance in various philosophical and religious traditions of the Indian subcontinent, particularly in Hinduism and Buddhism.
In Hindu philosophy, the concept of "shabda" is closely linked to the notion of the sacred sound or the primordial vibration that is believed to be the source of creation. The Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, place great emphasis on the power and significance of sound and speech. The name Shabd is thought to have been in use during the Vedic period, which dates back to around 1500–500 BCE.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Shabd can be found in the Upanishads, a collection of philosophical texts that form part of the Hindu scriptures. The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, dating back to around 800–500 BCE, mentions the term "shabda" in the context of the divine word or the ultimate source of all creation.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals who bore the name Shabd or variations of it. One of the earliest recorded instances is Shabd Singh (1723–1765), a Sikh warrior and military leader who played a significant role in the defense of the Sikh community during the turbulent period of the 18th century in the Indian subcontinent.
Another prominent figure with the name Shabd was Shabd Sharma (1884–1949), a renowned Indian poet and writer who made significant contributions to the literary landscape of the Hindi language. His works, including poems and novels, explored themes of spirituality, social issues, and human emotions.
In the realm of music, Shabd Khan (1916–1989) was a celebrated Indian classical vocalist and a prominent exponent of the Kirana Gharana, one of the prominent musical gharanas (schools) of Hindustani classical music. He was honored with several prestigious awards, including the Padma Bhushan, one of the highest civilian honors in India.
Shabd Simkhada (1947–2022) was a Nepali poet, essayist, and literary critic who played a pivotal role in the development of modern Nepali literature. His works explored themes of social justice, human rights, and cultural identity, and he was widely recognized for his contributions to the literary landscape of Nepal.
Another notable individual with the name Shabd was Shabd Bhardwaj (1940–2022), an Indian politician and social activist who dedicated his life to uplifting marginalized communities and promoting social justice. He served as a member of the Indian Parliament and was actively involved in various social and humanitarian causes.
People
Shabd + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shabd as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Shabd: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shabd?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 12 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shabd 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 28,562,862 US residents.
Is Shabd a common name?
We classify Shabd as "Very Rare". It ranks above 32.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 12 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shabd most popular?
The single biggest year for Shabd was 2007, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shabd is about 18 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 Shabd in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shabd a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shabd 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 Shabd still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shabd 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 Shabd 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 Shabd?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.