About the name Shiv
Shiva means auspicious, which is either a straightforward description or an elaborate euphemism depending on which Vedic scholar you ask about his older Rudra form. The clipped Shiv has become the preferred modern spelling in the north, sharp and single-syllabled where the older Shiva sounds ceremonial.
Shiv is a boy name of Sanskrit origin, pronounced SHIV. On the NameRarity scale it scores 70 out of 100, which places it in the rare band — recognisable but seldom used. Distinctive without needing to be spelled out twice. Its strongest period was the timeless.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Shiv?
Shiv currently falls outside the US top 1,000, which is a large part of why it scores so highly for rarity. Roughly 16 people per million carry it — about 1 in 62,500. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Shiv
- Shiv Kumar SharmaIndian santoor maestro who brought the instrument to the classical stage
- Shiv NadarIndian industrialist and founder of HCL Technologies
Spellings and variants of Shiv
Names similar to Shiv
Shivaan
shih-VAAN
Auspicious one, follower of the auspicious lord
Sadashiv
suh-DAH-shiv
The eternally auspicious one, an epithet of Shiva
Shivansh
shi-VAHNSH
A part of Shiva
Parthiv
PAR-thiv
Of the earth, princely and earthbound
Arnav
AR-nahv
Ocean, great flowing water
Darsh
DARSH
Sight, vision; the auspicious new moon day
Kapil
KUH-pil
Tawny or reddish-brown, and the sage who founded the Samkhya school
Mahi
MAH-hee
The earth, the great one
Shiv — frequently asked questions
What does the name Shiv mean?
Shiv means "Auspicious, benign; the great god of destruction and renewal". It is a name of Sanskrit origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Shiv?
Shiv is pronounced SHIV, with 1 syllable.
How rare is the name Shiv?
Shiv scores 70 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it rare. Roughly 1 in every 62,500 people carry it — about 16 per million.
What is the numerology number for Shiv?
Shiv carries the expression number 22, known as The Master Builder. Its soul urge number is 9 and its personality number is 4.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Shiv?
The lucky number for Shiv is 22 (with 4, 13, 31 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Antique Copper. The traditional lucky day is Saturday and the associated gemstone is Tiger's Eye.