Shiv
Boy name · #1763 in 2025 · Very rare
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: SSA.
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
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: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.