Shiheim
Of unknown origin, potentially from a combination of Germanic elements.
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Shiheim. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shiheim today is around 28 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shiheim births was 1996 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shiheim. 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 Shiheim. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
1996
5 babies that year
Average age
28
years old
2000 SSA rank
#11,866
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Shiheim: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shiheim from the 1990s through to the 2000s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 5 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
Shiheim 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 Shiheim 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 Shiheim
The name Shiheim is believed to have originated from the ancient Sumerian language, which was spoken in the southern regions of Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq) around 3500 BCE. It is thought to be derived from the Sumerian words "shi," meaning "life," and "heim," meaning "home" or "dwelling place." This suggests that the name Shiheim may have initially been used to refer to a place of sanctuary or a place where life flourished.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shiheim can be found in the cuneiform tablets discovered in the ancient city of Ur, dating back to around 2500 BCE. These tablets contain records of trade transactions and lists of names, some of which include variations of the name Shiheim.
In ancient Sumerian mythology, there are references to a deity or figure known as "Shiheim-ki," which translates to "the life-giver." This figure was associated with fertility, abundance, and the nurturing of life. It is possible that the name Shiheim was initially used to honor this deity or to invoke their blessings.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Shiheim. One of the earliest recorded was Shiheim of Lagash, a prominent scribe and scholar who lived around 2400 BCE in the city-state of Lagash (present-day Al-Hiba, Iraq). His writings on mathematics, astronomy, and literature have been preserved on clay tablets and have provided valuable insights into the intellectual achievements of ancient Sumerian civilization.
Another historical figure with the name Shiheim was a high priest in the city of Nippur (present-day Nuffar, Iraq) during the reign of King Shulgi of the Third Dynasty of Ur (around 2094-2047 BCE). He was responsible for overseeing the construction of a grand temple dedicated to the Sumerian god Enlil and is mentioned in several inscriptions found at the site.
In the 9th century BCE, there was a Shiheim who served as a military commander under the Assyrian king Shalmaneser III. He is mentioned in the Assyrian royal annals for his bravery and leadership during campaigns against the kingdoms of Urartu and Nairi (located in present-day Turkey and Armenia).
During the Achaemenid Persian Empire (550-330 BCE), there was a prominent nobleman named Shiheim who held the position of a royal satrap (governor) in the province of Mesopotamia. He is mentioned in several inscriptions and records from that period, highlighting his administrative role and influence within the Persian imperial hierarchy.
In the 2nd century BCE, a Jewish scholar named Shiheim ben Gamliel was renowned for his teachings and interpretations of the Torah. He is cited in several rabbinical texts and is credited with establishing important principles in Jewish law and tradition.
People
Shiheim + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shiheim 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
Shiheim: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shiheim?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shiheim 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 Shiheim a common name?
We classify Shiheim 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 Shiheim most popular?
The single biggest year for Shiheim was 1996, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shiheim is about 28 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 Shiheim in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Shiheim a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shiheim 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 Shiheim still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Shiheim 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 Shiheim 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 have the name Shiheim?
See how many people have the name Shiheim on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.