Find out how popular the first name Shalya has been for the last 14 years (from 1987 to 2000) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Shalya by gender

Based on the last 14 years of data, Shalya is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2000, there were 5 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Shalya.

The history of the first name Shalya

The name Shalya is of Sanskrit origin, derived from the Sanskrit word 'shalya', which means 'thorn' or 'dart'. This name has its roots in ancient Indian culture and can be traced back to the Vedic period, around 1500 BCE to 500 BCE.

In Hindu mythology, Shalya was the name of a character in the epic Mahabharata. He was the maternal uncle of the Kaurava prince Duryodhana and served as the charioteer of Karna during the Kurukshetra war. Shalya was a skilled warrior and strategist, but his role in the war was complex, as he was forced to fight against his nephews, the Pandavas, due to his loyalty to Duryodhana.

The earliest recorded instances of the name Shalya can be found in ancient Sanskrit texts, including the Mahabharata itself. It was a relatively uncommon name in ancient India but has been used throughout history by various individuals.

One notable figure named Shalya was Shalya Suri, a 12th-century Jain philosopher and logician from Gujarat, India. He wrote several works on Jain philosophy and logic, including the famous text "Shalya-Suri-Shastra".

Another historical figure with the name Shalya was Shalya Naresh, a 16th-century ruler of the Chauhan dynasty in Rajasthan, India. He is remembered for his patronage of art, architecture, and literature during his reign.

In more recent times, Shalya Rama Krishnaiah (1920-1990) was an Indian politician and social reformer from Andhra Pradesh. He played a significant role in the Telugu Desam Party and worked towards the upliftment of marginalized communities.

Shalya Acharya (1944-2018) was a prominent Indian Sanskrit scholar and author from Uttar Pradesh. He was awarded the Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to the field of Sanskrit literature.

Shalya Vijayan (born 1972) is an Indian film director and screenwriter known for his works in the Malayalam cinema industry. Some of his notable films include "Philipkutty's Trailer" and "Kailasanathan's Krishnankutty".

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Shalya was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Shalya, please contact us.

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