Shivam
A masculine given name of Hindu origin meaning "Lord Shiva."
Name Census estimates that about 1,510 living Americans carry the first name Shivam. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Shivam today is around 21 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Shivam births was 1998 (94 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Shivam. 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.
People living today
1.5K
~ 1 in 226,990 Americans
Peak year
1998
94 babies that year
Average age
21
years old
2024 SSA rank
#3,667
Tracked since 1986
Popularity
Shivam: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Shivam from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2000s, with 534 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2000s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Shivam 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 Shivam during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Shivams live
The SSA's state-level files cover 8 states and territories. California, New Jersey, Illinois recorded the most babies named Shivam, while Michigan, Florida, Georgia recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 87 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Shivam
The name Shivam is of Sanskrit origin and is widely used in the Indian subcontinent. It is derived from the words "Shiva" and "Rama," which are names of Hindu deities. Shiva is one of the principal deities in Hinduism, representing the cosmic force of destruction and regeneration, while Rama is the seventh avatar of the god Vishnu and the protagonist of the ancient Hindu epic Ramayana.
The name Shivam first appeared in ancient Hindu scriptures and texts, such as the Vedas and Puranas, where it was associated with the divine and spiritual realm. It was often used as a name for children born in devout Hindu families, with the belief that it would bless them with the virtues and qualities of the gods it represents.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Shivam was Shivam Tirth, a renowned Hindu sage and scholar who lived in the 8th century CE. He was known for his extensive knowledge of the Vedas and his contributions to the field of Hindu philosophy.
In the 12th century, Shivam Sundara was a celebrated poet and philosopher from the Karnataka region of India. His works, written in the Kannada language, explored themes of spirituality, love, and human nature.
During the 16th century, Shivam Bhushan was a prominent figure in the Mughal court of Emperor Akbar. He was a skilled diplomat and advisor, known for his wisdom and strategic thinking.
In more recent times, Shivam Prasad Gupta (1896-1977) was an Indian independence activist and politician who played a significant role in India's struggle for freedom from British rule. He served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India, which drafted the country's constitution.
Another notable individual with the name Shivam was Shivam Dube (1936-2022), an acclaimed Indian classical vocalist and Hindustani music maestro. He was awarded the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest civilian honors, for his contributions to the field of music.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Shivam, showcasing its long-standing presence and significance in Indian culture and tradition.
People
Shivam + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Shivam 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
Shivam: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Shivam?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,510 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Shivam 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 226,990 US residents.
Is Shivam a common name?
We classify Shivam as "Rare". It ranks above 92.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,532 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Shivam most popular?
The single biggest year for Shivam was 1998, when 94 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Shivam is about 21 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Shivam a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Shivam 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.
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.