Shiv
Boy name · #1763 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Shiv? In official American birth records, Shiv has been tracked continuously since 1984, giving it 41 years of documented American history.
Shiv is currently the #1763 boy name in the United States — 92 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1983, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 19,565 boys born in 2025 was named Shiv.
Babies named Shiv per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 41-year story
Shiv first appears in the Social Security records in 1984, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 92 babies and a rank of #1776. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Shiv against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Shiv in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Shiv is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Shiv will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Shiv is most common
State-level data for Shiv is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Shiv
Statistically, parents drawn to Shiv tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aviv, Saif, Sai, Syrus, and Yakov.
AvivSaifSaiSyrusYakovSamiSimchaKeshav
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Shiv | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | #1753 |
| 2024 | 92 | #1776 |
| 2023 | 91 | #1774 |
| 2022 | 88 | #1826 |
| 2021 | 69 | #2096 |
| 2020 | 73 | #1962 |
| 2019 | 64 | #2188 |
| 2018 | 69 | #2065 |
| 2017 | 78 | #1871 |
| 2016 | 82 | #1828 |
| 2015 | 73 | #1983 |
| 2014 | 87 | #1730 |
| 2013 | 70 | #1964 |
| 2012 | 68 | #2036 |
| 2011 | 61 | #2145 |
| 2010 | 67 | #2037 |
| 2009 | 69 | #2010 |
| 2008 | 71 | #1981 |
| 2007 | 79 | #1830 |
| 2006 | 69 | #1943 |
| 2005 | 58 | #2114 |
| 2004 | 64 | #1911 |
| 2003 | 58 | #1987 |
| 2002 | 59 | #1888 |
| 2001 | 49 | #2117 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Shiv?
In official American birth records, the name Shiv first appeared in 1984 (over 41 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 41 years.
Is Shiv a popular boy name?
Shiv ranked #1763 among boys in 2025 with 92 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1983.
When was the name Shiv most popular?
Shiv peaked in 2024, when 92 American boys received the name (ranked #1776 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Shiv?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 19,565 newborn American boys was named Shiv. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.