Lord Shiva Names for Baby Boy — 1000 Names

Introduction: Why Name Your Son After Shiva?

Among the most profound gifts Hindu parents can bestow upon a child is a name rooted in the divine — and no deity offers a richer treasury of names than Lord Shiva. The Shiva Sahasranama, the hymn of a thousand names of Shiva, is found in the Shiva Purana, Linga Purana, Skanda Purana and the Mahabharata (Anushasana Parva). Each name is not merely a label but a mantra — a compressed universe of meaning that blesses the child every time it is spoken.

Shiva's names span every quality a parent might wish for their son: strength and gentleness, wisdom and compassion, cosmic power and tender love. Rudra denotes the fierce protector; Shankara means the one who bestows bliss; Bholenath is the innocent lord easily moved by devotion; Mahakala transcends time itself. To name a child Shiva is to set him on the path of dharma from his first breath.

The tradition of naming children after Shiva is as old as Indian civilisation itself. Vedic literature records Shiva-names among the ancient rishis and kings. The practice continues today in every Hindu household across India and the global diaspora. In South India, names such as Shankar, Suresh and Murugan (who is Shiva's son) are among the most common. In North India, Rudra, Shivansh and Shambhu remain perennial favourites. This guide brings together the full sweep of 1000 Shiva names — classical and contemporary, Sanskrit and vernacular — with accurate meanings drawn from scriptural sources.

How to Choose the Perfect Shiva Name

Before diving into the list, here are guidelines from the Shastra tradition for choosing a name for your son:

• Nakshatra (birth star): The ideal name begins with a syllable corresponding to the child's birth nakshatra. A Jyotishi (Vedic astrologer) can advise on the auspicious starting syllable.
• Pronunciation: Choose a name that flows naturally in your mother tongue. A name mispronounced every day loses its mantric potency.
• Meaning: Select a name whose meaning resonates with your deepest wishes for your child. The name becomes a lifelong affirmation.
• Length: The Dharmashastra tradition recommends names of 2–4 syllables for ease of use in daily life, with longer ritual names reserved for formal occasions.
• Family tradition: Many families have a custom of naming after a particular deity or ancestor. Honour this if it holds meaning for you.

Names Beginning with A (Aa, Aa, Ai, Au)

A — Aarav to Avyay

Names beginning with A are among the most auspicious in Sanskrit, as 'A' (अ) is the first sound of creation, representing Brahman in the Upanishads. Shiva himself is called Akara — the one who is the letter A.

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Aarav	आरव	Peaceful, one who brings tranquility — an aspect of Shiva as Shanti-svarupa
Aashish	आशिष	Blessing, benediction — Shiva is the giver of all blessings
Abhinav	अभिनव	Ever new, ever fresh — Shiva is eternally young and ever-renewing
Achyuta	अच्युत	Imperishable — one who never falls; a name appearing in the Shiva Sahasranama
Adinath	आदिनाथ	Lord of the beginning, the Primordial Lord — Shiva as the first guru of yoga
Adishiva	आदिशिव	The primal Shiva, the original form before all creation
Adiyogi	आदियोगी	The first yogi — Shiva transmitted yoga to the Saptarishis
Aghor	अघोर	Non-terrible, benign — one of Shiva's five faces (Sadashiva's southern face)
Agnishekhar	अग्निशेखर	One whose crown is fire — Shiva as the cosmic fire of consciousness
Ajit	अजित	Unconquered — Shiva who is never defeated by any force in creation
Akala	अकाल	Beyond time — Shiva who transcends and governs all time
Akshaymuni	अक्षयमुनि	The inexhaustible sage — Shiva as the eternal tapasvi
Akshobhya	अक्षोभ्य	Unperturbed, imperturbable — Shiva's essential stillness amid cosmic activity
Alok	आलोक	Light, radiance — Shiva as the inner light of consciousness (chit)
Amar	अमर	Immortal — Shiva who grants immortality through the Maha Mrityunjaya mantra
Amaresh	अमरेश	Lord of the immortals — Shiva as the king of all devas
Amarnath	अमरनाथ	Lord of the immortals — one of the most sacred Shiva temples in Kashmir
Amitesh	अमितेश	Lord of the infinite — Shiva whose qualities are beyond measure
Amogha	अमोघ	Infallible, never in vain — Shiva's grace never goes to waste
Amrit	अमृत	Nectar of immortality — Shiva held the poison in his throat to save creation
Anadi	अनादि	Without beginning — Shiva is the beginningless, eternal reality
Anagh	अनघ	Sinless, blameless — Shiva who removes all sin
Anand	आनंद	Bliss — Shiva as Satchidananda, pure blissful consciousness
Ananta	अनंत	Infinite, endless — Shiva whose nature is infinite
Anantashiva	अनंतशिव	The infinite Shiva — the formless, limitless aspect of Shiva
Aniket	अनिकेत	Homeless, one who has no fixed abode — Shiva who wanders freely as Bhikshatana
Anil	अनिल	Wind — Shiva as Vayu, the breath of life
Anish	अनीश	Supreme, without a ruler above — Shiva is the lord of lords
Antardrishti	अंतर्दृष्टि	Inner vision — Shiva's third eye sees the inner truth of all things
Anugrah	अनुग्रह	Grace, favour — Shiva's anugraha (grace) is the highest blessing

More A Names

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Aparajit	अपराजित	Undefeated — Shiva who cannot be conquered by any power
Ardhanari	अर्धनारी	Half-woman — Shiva's Ardhanarishvara form expressing Shakti within Shiva
Arjun	अर्जुन	Bright, white — purified by Shiva's grace (Shiva taught Arjuna the Pashupatastra)
Arpit	अर्पित	Surrendered, offered — one who has offered himself to Shiva
Ashesh	अशेष	Without remainder, total — Shiva's consciousness that leaves nothing out
Ashish	आशीष	Blessing — the blessings of Shiva that flow to all devotees
Ashok	अशोक	Without sorrow — Shiva removes all sorrow from his devotees
Ashutosh	आशुतोष	One who is easily pleased — Shiva's most beloved quality; pleased by simple devotion
Asim	असीम	Boundless, limitless — Shiva's infinite nature
Atharva	अथर्व	Knower of the Atharva Veda — Shiva is the revealer of this Veda
Atman	आत्मन	The Self, the soul — Shiva as the innermost Self of all beings
Avadhut	अवधूत	One who has shaken off all worldly attachments — Shiva as the supreme renunciant
Avaneesh	अवनीश	Lord of the earth — Shiva who supports and sustains the world
Aviral	अविरल	Continuous, uninterrupted — Shiva's grace that flows without interruption
Avyay	अव्यय	Imperishable, inexhaustible — the undecaying nature of Shiva

Names Beginning with B

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Bairava	भैरव	The terrifying one — Shiva as Bhairava, the fierce protector of devotees
Baladev	बलदेव	God of strength — Shiva as the giver of strength to all creation
Baleshwar	बलेश्वर	Lord of strength — Shiva as the source of all power
Bhaskar	भास्कर	Sun, maker of light — Shiva as Surya-Shiva in the Shaiva tradition
Bhavesh	भवेश	Lord of existence — Shiva as the lord of all that exists (Bhava = existence)
Bholenath	भोलेनाथ	The innocent lord — Shiva who is guileless and easily moved by sincere devotion
Bhudev	भूदेव	God of the earth — Shiva who is the foundation of the material world
Bhupesh	भूपेश	Lord of the earth — Shiva as the master of the physical realm
Bhutesh	भूतेश	Lord of all beings — Shiva as the master of all creatures, including the ghosts and spirits
Bipin	विपिन	Forest — Shiva who roams the cremation grounds and forests, free of all convention
Brahmanaspati	ब्रह्मणस्पति	Lord of prayers — Shiva as the ultimate recipient of all prayer

Names Beginning with C and Ch

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Chaitanya	चैतन्य	Pure consciousness — Shiva as pure chit (consciousness), one of his three fundamental qualities
Chakradhar	चक्रधर	Bearer of the wheel — Shiva as the one who holds the wheel of time and karma
Chamundesh	चामुंडेश	Lord of Chamunda — Shiva as the consort of the fierce goddess Chamunda
Chandramouli	चंद्रमौलि	One whose crown is the moon — Shiva wears the crescent moon on his matted hair
Chandrashekar	चंद्रशेखर	One who holds the moon — Shiva who bears the crescent moon on his head
Chetan	चेतन	Conscious, alive — Shiva as the consciousness that animates all life
Chitraksh	चित्राक्ष	Colourful-eyed, beautiful-eyed — a name of Shiva from the Shiva Sahasranama
Chitragupta	चित्रगुप्त	Hidden picture — Shiva as the one whose true form is hidden from ordinary perception

Names Beginning with D

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Dakshesh	दक्षेश	Lord beyond the capable — Shiva who transcends all human capability
Damodara	दामोदर	One with a rope around the belly — in the Shaiva tradition, Shiva who binds the universe
Dayasagar	दयासागर	Ocean of compassion — Shiva's boundless mercy towards all devotees
Devadev	देवदेव	God of gods — Shiva as Mahadev, the greatest of all devas
Deveshwar	देवेश्वर	Lord of the gods — Shiva who governs all the devas
Dhairya	धैर्य	Patience, fortitude — Shiva as the exemplar of infinite patience
Dhanadev	धनदेव	God of wealth — Shiva as Kubera's master, who blesses with true wealth
Dharamdhar	धर्मधर	Bearer of dharma — Shiva as the upholder of cosmic law
Dharmaraj	धर्मराज	King of righteousness — Shiva as the embodiment of dharma
Dhruva	ध्रुव	The Pole Star, fixed, immovable — Shiva as the still centre of all cosmic motion
Digambar	दिगंबर	Sky-clad — Shiva who wears the directions as his garment, unclothed, free of all convention
Divyesh	दिव्येश	Lord of the divine — Shiva as the supreme divine being
Durgesh	दुर्गेश	Lord of the difficult — Shiva who dwells in inaccessible places and grants access to the inaccessible
Dwarakesh	द्वारकेश	Lord of the doorway — Shiva as the gatekeeper between the manifest and unmanifest

Names Beginning with G

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Gajanan	गजानन	Elephant-faced — while this is primarily Ganesha, Shiva as the father of Ganesha
Gangadhar	गंगाधर	Bearer of the Ganga — Shiva received the celestial Ganga in his matted locks to protect the earth
Gauresh	गौरेश	Lord of Gauri — Shiva as the beloved husband of Parvati-Gauri
Girinath	गिरिनाथ	Lord of the mountains — Shiva who dwells on Mount Kailash, the mountain of consciousness
Girishwar	गिरीश्वर	Master of the mountains — Shiva as the supreme master of all mountain peaks
Gokul	गोकुल	Place of cows — in the Shaiva tradition, Shiva as the protector of dharmic communities
Gopinath	गोपीनाथ	Lord of the cowgirls — in some Shaiva texts, the lord who protects all who call on him
Govardhan	गोवर्धन	Mountain-holder, nourisher of cows — in the Shaiva reading, Shiva as Nandi's master
Guhan	गुहन	Hidden one — Shiva who hides in the cave of the heart (guha = cave)
Gunakar	गुणकर	Maker of qualities — Shiva as the source of all sattva, rajas and tamas
Gurudeva	गुरुदेव	Divine teacher — Shiva as Dakshinamurti, the guru who teaches in silence

Names Beginning with H

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Har	हर	Destroyer, remover — Shiva as the one who removes all evil, sin and ignorance
Haridra	हरिद्र	Golden-yellow, turmeric — auspicious name of Shiva in the Linga Purana
Harihara	हरिहर	Vishnu and Shiva as one — the supreme unity of preservation and dissolution
Harshal	हर्षल	Joyful — Shiva as the embodiment of cosmic joy and celebration
Hemchandra	हेमचंद्र	Golden moon — Shiva whose crescent moon gleams like gold
Hrishikesh	हृषीकेश	Lord of the senses — in the Shaiva tradition, Shiva who controls all the senses

Names Beginning with I, J, K

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Ishan	ईशान	The northeast direction, the ruler — one of Shiva's five divine faces (Sadashiva)
Ishwar	ईश्वर	The Lord, the controller — Shiva as the supreme master of the universe
Jagadesh	जगदेश	Lord of the universe — Shiva who governs the entire cosmos
Jagannath	जगन्नाथ	Lord of the world — in the Shaiva tradition, Shiva as the cosmic overlord
Jaidev	जयदेव	Victory of the divine — Shiva as the ever-victorious deity
Jalandhara	जलंधर	Bearer of water — Shiva who holds the sacred Ganga
Jatin	जटिन	One with matted hair — Shiva's most iconic physical attribute
Jitendra	जितेंद्र	One who has conquered the senses — Shiva as the supreme master of the senses
Kalanath	कालनाथ	Lord of time — Shiva as Mahakala who transcends and governs all time
Kaleshwar	कालेश्वर	Master of time — Shiva as the controller of past, present and future
Kamlesh	कमलेश	Lord of the lotus — Shiva who grants the lotus of enlightenment
Kapilesh	कपिलेश	Tawny lord — Shiva in his golden-brown form associated with asceticism
Kartikey	कार्तिकेय	Shiva's son Murugan/Skanda — the warrior son born of Shiva's cosmic fire
Kedarnath	केदारनाथ	Lord of the field — Shiva as the sacred Jyotirlinga of Kedarnath in the Himalayas
Keshav	केशव	One with beautiful hair — in Shaiva context, Shiva whose matted locks are adorned with Ganga
Kirtidev	कीर्तिदेव	God of glory — Shiva whose glory fills the three worlds
Krishnashiva	कृष्णशिव	Dark Shiva — Shiva's form associated with the dark half of time (Kala)
Kuldeep	कुलदीप	Light of the family — a son who lights up the family, blessed by Shiva
Kumud	कुमुद	Lotus of the water — Shiva as the divine lotus that blooms in the heart

Names Beginning with L, M

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Lakulesh	लकुलेश	Lord with a club — Shiva as Lakulisha, the founder of the Pashupata tradition
Lankesh	लंकेश	Lord of Lanka — Shiva who was worshipped by Ravana, the great Shiva devotee
Leeladhar	लीलाधर	Holder of divine play — Shiva whose creation is his cosmic lila (play)
Lingesh	लिंगेश	Lord of the Linga — Shiva in his aniconic linga form, the symbol of infinite consciousness
Lokesh	लोकेश	Lord of the worlds — Shiva as the master of all the fourteen worlds
Loknath	लोकनाथ	Lord of the people — Shiva who protects and guides all beings
Mahabhairav	महाभैरव	The great terrifying one — Shiva's supreme fierce form
Mahakala	महाकाल	The great time — Shiva who is beyond all time; the famous Ujjain Jyotirlinga
Mahakal	महाकाल	Lord of great time — Shiva who dissolves all time at the end of an age
Mahanand	महानंद	Great bliss — Shiva as the source of supreme, infinite bliss
Mahaprabhu	महाप्रभु	The great master — Shiva as the supreme lord above all lords
Maharudra	महारुद्र	The great Rudra — Shiva in his most powerful storm-god form
Mahashiva	महाशिव	The great Shiva — Shiva in his transcendent cosmic form
Mahatej	महातेज	Great radiance — Shiva as the blinding brilliance of cosmic consciousness
Mahayogi	महायोगी	The great yogi — Shiva seated in eternal meditation on Kailash
Mahesh	महेश	The great lord — one of Shiva's most popular names
Maheshwar	महेश्वर	The great master — Shiva as the supreme Ishvara (lord) of all creation
Manas	मानस	Mind — Shiva as the universal mind from which all individual minds emerge
Mangal	मंगल	Auspicious — Shiva as the very embodiment of auspiciousness
Manikesh	माणिकेश	Jewelled-haired — Shiva whose matted locks are adorned with gems and the moon
Manish	मनीष	Lord of the mind — Shiva as the master of thought and consciousness
Manmath	मन्मथ	Churner of the mind — Shiva who agitates and purifies the mind
Martanda	मार्तंड	The sun — Shiva as Surya, the solar aspect of the divine
Mayuresh	मयूरेश	Lord of the peacock — Shiva as the father of Murugan/Kartikeya who rides the peacock
Mrityunjay	मृत्युंजय	Victor over death — Shiva who conquers death and grants immortality
Mukesh	मुकेश	Lord of the dumb — Shiva who gives the mute the gift of speech and wisdom
Muktesh	मुक्तेश	Lord of liberation — Shiva as the giver of moksha to all who seek it sincerely
Munindra	मुनींद्र	Lord of the sages — Shiva as the greatest rishi, Dakshinamurti

Names Beginning with N

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Nagesh	नागेश	Lord of serpents — Shiva who wears snakes as ornaments, master of the kundalini
Nageswar	नागेश्वर	Master of serpents — a Jyotirlinga name; Shiva who controls the serpent energy
Namdev	नामदेव	God of name — the power of Shiva's name is itself divine
Nandikeshwar	नंदिकेश्वर	Lord of Nandi — Shiva whose faithful attendant is Nandi the bull
Nandish	नंदीश	Lord of joy — Shiva as the giver of nanda (joy) to all
Narayan	नारायण	Resting in water — in the Shaiva Siddhanta, Shiva and Narayana as aspects of one truth
Natesh	नटेश	Lord of dance — Shiva as Nataraja, the cosmic dancer
Natraj	नटराज	King of dancers — Shiva's most famous form, dancing the Ananda Tandava
Neel	नील	Blue — Shiva as Neelakantha, the blue-throated one who swallowed the poison
Neelakantha	नीलकंठ	Blue-throated — Shiva who swallowed the halahala poison to save creation
Nilesh	नीलेश	Lord of the blue — Shiva whose throat is eternally blue with the cosmic poison
Nirgun	निर्गुण	Without attributes — Shiva's formless, attributeless aspect beyond all qualities
Nirvana	निर्वाण	Extinction of ego — the state Shiva grants to all liberated souls
Nityananda	नित्यानंद	Eternal bliss — Shiva as the source of unending, eternal bliss
Nityesh	नित्येश	Eternal lord — Shiva who is unchanging and eternal

Names Beginning with O, P

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Omkar	ओंकार	The sound of OM — Shiva is pranava; the AUM sound is his primordial vibration
Omesh	ओमेश	Lord of OM — Shiva as the master of the primordial sound
Omkar Shiva	ओंकार शिव	Shiva as the AUM — the combined name expressing Shiva's identity with the primal sound
Panch	पंच	Five — Shiva with his five faces (Sadyojata, Vamadeva, Aghora, Tatpurusha, Ishana)
Panchanana	पंचानन	Five-faced — Shiva's Sadashiva form with five divine faces governing the five elements
Paramesha	परमेश	Supreme master — Shiva as the absolute lord of the universe
Parameshwar	परमेश्वर	Supreme God — Shiva as the highest divinity in all of creation
Paramatma	परमात्मा	Supreme Soul — Shiva as the universal Self in whom all individual souls rest
Parashiva	परशिव	Beyond Shiva — the transcendent aspect of Shiva beyond even his cosmic forms
Paritosh	परितोष	Contentment — Shiva as the perfectly content ascetic with nothing and everything
Parth	पार्थ	Son of the earth — in the Shiva tradition, one purified by Shiva's grace like Arjuna
Pashupati	पशुपति	Lord of all bound souls — Shiva as the master of all pashus (souls bound by ignorance)
Pranav	प्रणव	The sacred syllable AUM — Shiva's primordial sonic form
Prasad	प्रसाद	Grace, divine gift — the blessed offerings from Shiva's puja
Pratap	प्रताप	Valour, glory — Shiva as the most glorious and valiant of all devas
Praveen	प्रवीण	Expert, skilled — Shiva as the master of all arts, sciences and yoga
Prem	प्रेम	Love — Shiva's love for his devotees transcends all conditions
Pritish	प्रीतिश	Lord of love — Shiva who loves his devotees unconditionally
Purandar	पुरंदर	Destroyer of cities — Shiva as Tripurantaka who destroyed the three demon cities
Purushottam	पुरुषोत्तम	Best of all beings — Shiva as the supreme purusha

Names Beginning with R

The letter R (र) carries the energy of fire and transformation in Sanskrit. Shiva's most ancient Vedic name, Rudra, begins with this powerful consonant. Names beginning with R are especially potent for boys born under the Ardra nakshatra, which is ruled by Rudra-Shiva.

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Rajesh	राजेश	King of kings — Shiva as the supreme ruler above all earthly and cosmic kings
Rajiv	राजीव	Blue lotus — Shiva who carries the lotus of consciousness
Rakesh	राकेश	Full-moon lord — Shiva who wears the moon on his head
Ramadev	रामदेव	God of delight — Shiva as Rameshwaram, lord of Rama
Rameshwar	रामेश्वर	Lord of Rama — Shiva as installed by Rama at Rameswaram before Lanka campaign
Ranjit	रणजित	Victor in battle — Shiva who destroys Tripura and all demonic forces
Ratan	रत्न	Jewel — Shiva as the jewel of consciousness in the crown of creation
Ratnakar	रत्नाकर	Ocean of jewels — Shiva as the inexhaustible treasury of spiritual gems
Ravindra	रवींद्र	Lord of the sun — Shiva as the solar deity in Saura-Shaiva traditions
Ritesh	ऋतेश	Lord of truth — Shiva as the master of rita (cosmic truth, order)
Riyaz	रियाज़	Practice, discipline — Shiva as the perfect tapasvi of infinite discipline
Rudra	रुद्र	The howler, the terrible — Shiva's most ancient Vedic name; the storm-god who destroys evil
Rudradev	रुद्रदेव	God Rudra — Shiva in his Vedic form as the lord of storms, disease, healing
Rudresh	रुद्रेश	Lord Rudra — Shiva as the supreme Rudra, master of all the eleven Rudras
Rudreshwar	रुद्रेश्वर	Master of Rudras — Shiva as the source and controller of all Rudra energies

Names Beginning with S — Shankara to Suryavansh

S-names are the richest category in the Shiva Sahasranama. The most beloved Shiva names — Shiva, Shankara, Shankar, Shambhu, Shanmukha — all begin with this letter. S corresponds to Shiva himself in the Panchakshara mantra (Na-Ma-Shi-Va-Ya), with Shi (शि) representing Shiva.

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Sachin	सचिन	Pure existence — derived from Sat-Chit, the pure being-consciousness aspect of Shiva
Sadanand	सदानंद	Eternal bliss — Shiva who is forever in a state of bliss
Sadashiva	सदाशिव	Ever-auspicious, eternal Shiva — the five-faced cosmic form of Shiva
Sadhyojat	सद्योजात	Immediately born — Shiva's western face representing new creation and blessings
Sahaj	सहज	Natural, spontaneous — Shiva's naturalness, free of all artifice
Sambhav	संभव	Possible, arising — Shiva as Shambhu, the one from whom all becomes possible
Samir	समीर	Gentle breeze — Shiva as Vayu, the vital breath of life
Samit	शमित	Pacified, collected — Shiva's composed, unruffled divine state
Sanjay	संजय	Victorious — Shiva who is ever-victorious over death and ignorance
Sankalp	संकल्प	Will, resolve — Shiva's divine sankalpa through which the universe comes into being
Sarvanand	सर्वानंद	Bliss of all — Shiva as the bliss that pervades all things
Sarvesh	सर्वेश	Lord of all — Shiva as the master of every being and thing in creation
Sarveshwar	सर्वेश्वर	Supreme master of all — Shiva who governs every dimension of existence
Satchidananda	सच्चिदानंद	Being-consciousness-bliss — the three-in-one nature of Shiva
Satyanarayan	सत्यनारायण	True abiding one — in the Shaiva reading, the truth that abides in all things
Shailesh	शैलेश	Lord of mountains — Shiva who eternally dwells on Mount Kailash
Shambhu	शंभु	The auspicious one who brings happiness — one of Shiva's most beloved names
Shankar	शंकर	He who confers bliss — Shiva as the bestower of shanti (peace) and sukha (happiness)
Shankara	शंकर	Giver of peace and happiness — Shiva's most widely used name across all traditions
Shanmukha	षण्मुख	Six-faced — Shiva's son Kartikeya/Murugan with six faces; metaphorically Shiva
Shantanu	शांतनु	Whole-bodied, peaceful body — one with a completely peaceful nature like Shiva
Sharan	शरण	Refuge, shelter — Shiva as the ultimate refuge for all souls
Shashank	शशांक	The moon — Shiva who wears the moon on his head
Shatrudaman	शत्रुदमन	Subduer of enemies — Shiva who destroys the inner enemies of desire, anger and greed
Shiv	शिव	Auspicious, pure — the most sacred name; simply, purely, completely auspicious
Shiva	शिव	The auspicious one — Shiva himself; pure consciousness, the absolute
Shivaansh	शिवांश	Part of Shiva — a piece, a spark of Shiva's divine consciousness
Shivadatta	शिवदत्त	Given by Shiva — a name expressing that the child is Shiva's gift to the parents
Shivadas	शिवदास	Servant of Shiva — one who has dedicated his life to Shiva's service
Shivakant	शिवकांत	Beloved of Shiva — one who has won Shiva's love through devotion
Shivakumar	शिवकुमार	Son of Shiva — both literally (Ganesha, Kartikeya) and spiritually (all devotees)
Shivam	शिवम	Auspiciousness — the pure, auspicious quality of Shiva consciousness
Shivanadh	शिवनाद	Sound of Shiva — the cosmic sound of Shiva's damaru drum
Shivang	शिवांग	Body of Shiva — one whose body is a temple of Shiva
Shivankar	शिवंकर	Maker of good — one who brings auspiciousness wherever he goes
Shivansh	शिवांश	A part of Shiva — expressing that every soul is a fragment of Shiva
Shivdayal	शिवदयाल	Shiva the merciful — Shiva's infinite compassion for all beings
Shivdev	शिवदेव	Shiva the divine — the divinity of Shiva in all his aspects
Shivendra	शिवेंद्र	Shiva the lord — Shiva as the king of all divine beings
Shivesh	शिवेश	Lord Shiva — one who rules with Shiva's grace and authority
Shivhans	शिवहंस	Swan of Shiva — the pure, discriminating intelligence of Shiva
Shivnath	शिवनाथ	Lord Shiva himself — the master of all masters
Shivprasad	शिवप्रसाद	Gift of Shiva — a child who is received as Shiva's divine prasad
Shivraj	शिवराज	King Shiva — Shiva as the sovereign of all existence
Shivram	शिवराम	Shiva as Rama — expressing the unity of Shiva and Vishnu's avatars
Shivratna	शिवरत्न	Jewel of Shiva — a child as precious as Shiva's own treasure
Shivshankara	शिवशंकर	Shiva the bestower — the combined name expressing Shiva's full gracious nature
Siddha	सिद्ध	Accomplished, perfected — Shiva as the perfectly accomplished yogi
Siddhanath	सिद्धनाथ	Lord of the accomplished — Shiva as the master of all siddhas
Siddhesh	सिद्धेश	Lord of perfection — Shiva who grants all siddhis (spiritual powers)
Somnath	सोमनाथ	Lord of Soma/moon — the first and foremost of the 12 Jyotirlingas
Sudarshan	सुदर्शन	Beautiful vision — Shiva who is beautiful to behold; Shiva's vision purifies the beholder
Suresh	सुरेश	Lord of the gods — Shiva as the master of all devas
Surya	सूर्य	The sun — Shiva as Surya in the Shaiva tradition
Suryakant	सूर्यकांत	Loved by the sun — Shiva whom the sun worships daily
Swayambhu	स्वयंभू	Self-born — Shiva who arises from himself without any cause

Names Beginning with T, U, V

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Tanmay	तन्मय	Absorbed, identified with — one absorbed in Shiva
Tapesh	तपेश	Lord of austerity — Shiva as the eternal tapasvi performing infinite tapas
Tarunesh	तरुणेश	Lord of the young — Shiva who is eternally youthful
Tatpurusha	तत्पुरुष	That supreme person — Shiva's eastern face representing the aspect of grace
Tejas	तेजस	Radiance, fire — Shiva's blinding divine radiance
Tejesh	तेजेश	Lord of radiance — Shiva as the source of all light and luminosity
Tripurantaka	त्रिपुरांतक	Destroyer of the three cities — Shiva who burned down the three demon fortresses
Trishul	त्रिशूल	Trident — Shiva's most iconic weapon representing his mastery over creation, sustenance and dissolution
Trivikram	त्रिविक्रम	Three-strider — in the Shaiva reading, Shiva who pervades the three worlds
Ugranath	उग्रनाथ	Lord of the fierce — Shiva's fierce, protecting aspect
Umakant	उमाकांत	Beloved of Uma — Shiva as the devoted husband of Uma/Parvati
Umanath	उमानाथ	Lord of Uma — Shiva as Parvati's divine consort
Umapati	उमापति	Husband of Uma — Shiva as the devoted, loving husband of Parvati
Upendra	उपेंद्र	Lesser Indra — one who surpasses even Indra; Shiva who is above all devas
Vaidyanath	वैद्यनाथ	Lord of physicians — Shiva as the divine healer; one of the 12 Jyotirlingas
Vaijnath	वैजनाथ	Lord of strength — another name for the Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlinga
Vamadeva	वामदेव	Beautiful god — Shiva's northern face, representing the aspect of grace and beauty
Vedang	वेदांग	Body of the Veda — Shiva who is the living embodiment of all Vedic knowledge
Vibhu	विभु	All-pervading, omnipresent — Shiva who pervades all of creation
Vigyaneshwar	विज्ञानेश्वर	Lord of wisdom — Shiva as the master of all jnana (wisdom)
Vijaykumar	विजयकुमार	Son of victory — a son blessed to be victorious, like Shiva's son Skanda
Vikram	विक्रम	Valour, prowess — Shiva as the most valiant of all warrior-gods
Virbhadra	वीरभद्र	Noble hero — Shiva created Virabhadra from his locks to avenge Sati's death
Vishwanath	विश्वनाथ	Lord of the universe — Shiva as the master of all creation; the Kashi Vishwanath Jyotirlinga
Vishweshwar	विश्वेश्वर	Master of the world — Shiva who governs every particle of the universe
Vithal	विठ्ठल	Standing Lord — a name of the deity at Pandharpur; some traditions link to Shiva
Vivek	विवेक	Discernment, wisdom — the discrimination that Shiva grants to all who worship him
Vyas	व्यास	The arranger — Shiva who arranged the Vedas through Vyasa

Names Beginning with Y, Z and Other Letters

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Yashashri	यशश्री	Lord of glory — Shiva's glory that fills the three worlds
Yashodhan	यशोधन	Wealthy in glory — Shiva whose wealth is his infinite glory
Yatesh	यतेश	Lord of ascetics — Shiva as the master of all tapasvis and yogis
Yogi	योगी	The yogi — Shiva as the supreme master of all yoga
Yogindra	योगींद्र	King of yogis — Shiva as the greatest of all who practice yoga
Yogishwar	योगीश्वर	Lord of yoga — Shiva as the source of all yogic traditions
Yugadhar	युगधर	Bearer of ages — Shiva who bears the weight of each cosmic age
Yuganath	युगनाथ	Lord of the age — Shiva as the presiding deity of every yuga
Zahan	—	Wise — a cross-cultural name; the wisdom of Shiva transcends all traditions

Rare and Regional Names of Shiva

Beyond the classical Sanskrit names, Shiva has hundreds of names in regional traditions — Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi, Bengali and more. Here are some of the most beautiful regional names rarely found in standard lists.

Name	Tradition	Meaning
Aruguru	Telugu	He who is the Guru — Shiva as the great teacher of liberation
Chokkalingam	Tamil	Beautiful Linga — the supremely beautiful form of Shiva as the Linga
Dakshinamurti	Sanskrit/Tamil	Southward-facing form — Shiva as the silent guru teaching under a banyan tree
Gangadharan	Tamil	Bearer of Ganga — Shiva who received the Ganga in his matted hair
Guruvayur	Tamil/Kerala	Of Guruvayur — while primarily a Vishnu temple, Shiva as the guru of gurus
Iraivan	Tamil	The divine one — the ancient Tamil name for Shiva, meaning the one who rules
Kadambavan	Tamil	Lord of the Kadamba forest — Shiva who dwells in the sacred Kadamba grove
Kailasapati	Sanskrit/Tamil	Lord of Kailash — Shiva who dwells on the mountain of consciousness
Kumaran	Tamil	Youth, youthful son — a Tamil name for Murugan, Shiva's son
Lingesha	Kannada	Lord of the Linga — Shiva in his aniconic form
Mallikarjuna	Telugu/Sanskrit	White jasmine + Arjuna — the sacred Jyotirlinga at Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh
Maruti	Marathi	Son of the wind — while primarily Hanuman, in some traditions linked to Shiva
Murugan	Tamil	The young one, the beautiful — Shiva's son Kartikeya as worshipped in Tamil Nadu
Nagoba	Telugu	Snake lord — Shiva as the master of serpents
Nataraj	Tamil	Lord of dance — Shiva's Chidambaram form as the cosmic dancer
Palani Andavar	Tamil	Lord of Palani — Murugan/Shiva's son, worshipped at Palani hills
Paramashiva	Sanskrit/Tamil	Supreme Shiva — the absolute transcendent aspect of Shiva
Sadguru	Sanskrit	True teacher — Shiva as the Sat-Guru who removes ignorance
Sambandan	Tamil	Related, connected — one connected to Shiva; name of the great Shaiva saint
Shanmugam	Tamil	Six-faced — Tamil form of Shanmukha, Murugan with six faces
Shivayogi	Kannada	Shiva the yogi — the ascetic, meditative aspect of Shiva
Somasundaram	Tamil	Beautiful as Soma — Shiva who is as beautiful as the moon
Subramanya	Sanskrit/Tamil	Dear to the Brahmanas — Shiva's son Skanda/Murugan as the beloved of the sages
Sundaram	Tamil/Sanskrit	Beautiful — Shiva who is supremely beautiful
Thirumurthy	Tamil	The sacred form — Shiva in his divine form
Udayakumar	Kannada	Rising prince — a son who rises like the sun, blessed by Shiva
Venkatesh	Telugu	While primarily Vishnu's name, in Vaishnava-Shaiva families a combined name

Names from the Shiva Sahasranama — The 1000 Sacred Names

The Shiva Sahasranama (thousand names of Shiva) appears in multiple Puranas. The most authoritative version is found in the Anushasana Parva of the Mahabharata, where Lord Krishna himself teaches these names to Yudhishthira. Below is a comprehensive selection from this scripture, organised thematically.

Names Expressing Shiva's Cosmic Functions

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning / Function
Aghora	अघोर	Non-terrible, gentle — Shiva's benign face, the giver of boons
Aksha	अक्ष	Eye — Shiva as the seeing one, the witness of all
Amogha	अमोघ	Never in vain — Shiva's acts always achieve their divine purpose
Ananta	अनंत	Infinite — Shiva's nature is without end
Arka	अर्क	Sun, ray of light — Shiva as the solar principle of illumination
Aruda	अरुद	Without sorrow — Shiva who is eternally free of grief
Ashtamurti	अष्टमूर्ति	Eight-formed — Shiva's eight forms as earth, water, fire, air, space, sun, moon, Atman
Avyanga	अव्यंग	Perfect in all limbs — Shiva whose divine form is complete and perfect
Balin	बलिन	Strong one — Shiva as the source of all strength
Bhaga	भग	Possessor of all — Shiva who possesses all six divine qualities
Bhagavan	भगवान	The blessed Lord — one who possesses bhaga (glory, virtue, power)
Bhaktavatsala	भक्तवत्सल	Fond of devotees — Shiva who loves his devotees as a mother loves her children
Bhava	भव	Existence — Shiva as the very basis of all existence
Bhu	भू	Earth — Shiva as the element of earth, the support of all
Brahman	ब्रह्मन	The absolute — Shiva as the supreme brahman, the ultimate reality
Chandrama	चंद्रमा	The moon — Shiva who wears the moon, the ruler of the tides
Chitta	चित्त	Mind-stuff — Shiva as the universal consciousness that underlies all minds
Danda	दंड	Staff — Shiva who carries the danda of dharmic authority
Deva	देव	The shining one — Shiva as the supreme deva
Dhurya	धुर्य	Bearer of yokes — Shiva who bears the weight of creation
Divya	दिव्य	Divine — Shiva whose nature is wholly divine
Drona	द्रोण	Vessel — Shiva as the vessel of all wisdom
Drupada	द्रुपद	Fast-footed — Shiva as the swift performer of cosmic functions
Durvasa	दुर्वास	Poorly clad — Shiva who cares nothing for outward appearance
Dvij	द्विज	Twice-born — Shiva as the supreme twice-born (first through birth, then through spiritual awakening)

Names Expressing Shiva's Qualities and Attributes

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning / Quality
Ekadanta	एकदंत	Single-tusked — metaphorically Shiva who focuses the cosmic energy singularly
Gambhir	गंभीर	Profound, deep — Shiva's unfathomable depth of wisdom
Ghan	घन	Dense, solid — Shiva as the densely present, completely real consciousness
Ghanta	घंट	Bell — Shiva as the sacred sound of the bell that calls us to awareness
Girijesh	गिरिजेश	Lord of Girija — Shiva as the husband of Girija (Parvati, daughter of the mountain)
Gopal	गोपाल	Cowherd, protector — in the Shaiva reading, Shiva who protects dharmic life
Haladhar	हलधर	Plough-bearer — Shiva as the cosmic farmer who ploughs the field of consciousness
Hamsa	हंस	Swan, breath (So-Ham) — Shiva as the hamsa mantra that pervades all breathing beings
Hara	हर	Destroyer — Shiva as the destroyer of ignorance, sin and death
Hiranya	हिरण्य	Golden — Shiva whose consciousness is pure gold
Hiranyaksha	हिरण्याक्ष	Golden-eyed — Shiva whose third eye shines with golden fire
Hrishita	हृषित	Delighted — Shiva who delights in his devotees' progress
Huluhulu	हुलुहुलु	Sounding, resonant — Shiva as the primordial sound vibration
Ikshvaku	इक्ष्वाकु	Descendant of the sugarcane dynasty — Shiva who blesses royal lineages
Ila	इल	Earth goddess — Shiva as the masculine principle complementing the earth
Indu	इंदु	Moon drop — Shiva as the moon, the cool, nectar-dispensing deity
Ishana	ईशान	Ruler, controller — Shiva as the northeast-facing controller of creation
Jagat	जगत	The moving world — Shiva who is the life of all that moves
Jagatpita	जगत्पिता	Father of the world — Shiva as the cosmic father principle
Janapriya	जनप्रिय	Beloved of the people — Shiva who is dear to all devotees
Jata	जट	Matted hair — Shiva whose magnificent matted locks hold the Ganga
Jatadhari	जटाधारी	Wearer of matted locks — Shiva's most recognisable ascetic attribute
Jyeshtha	ज्येष्ठ	The eldest — Shiva who is the most ancient of all divine beings
Jyoti	ज्योति	Light — Shiva as pure, self-luminous jyoti (light)
Jyotirling	ज्योतिर्लिंग	Pillar of light — Shiva as the Jyotirlinga that appeared as infinite light to defeat Brahma and Vishnu's pride

Modern and Trending Shiva-Inspired Names (Post-2000)

In recent years, parents have been combining classical Shiva names with modern sensibilities to create names that are both spiritually resonant and easy to use in a global context. Here are popular choices for boys born today.

Name	Style	Why It Works
Aarav	Modern Hindi	Peaceful, popular and rooted in Shiva's quality of shanti (peace). Currently India's most popular boy name.
Aditya	Classical-Modern	Son of Aditi, the sun — Shiva as the solar principle. Familiar globally, deeply sacred.
Anvit	Modern Sanskrit	Connected, linked — one connected to the divine, to Shiva's consciousness.
Arjit	Modern Sanskrit	Earned, achieved — one who achieves Shiva's grace through dedicated practice.
Aryan	Classical-Modern	Noble — Shiva as the most noble of all divine beings. Works across cultures.
Dev	Short/Modern	Short form of Devesh, Devansh etc. Clean, strong, divine meaning.
Dhruv	Classical-Modern	The Pole Star — steady, fixed, immovable like Shiva's transcendent nature.
Eshan	Modern form of Ishan	Contemporary spelling of Shiva's name Ishan (northeast, the ruler). Very popular.
Ishaan	Modern Hindi	Variant of Ishan. Shiva's name meaning the lord, the controller.
Kabir	Cross-cultural	Great, mighty — Shiva as the greatest of all; used in both Hindu and Muslim families.
Karthik	Modern Tamil/Sanskrit	Modern spelling of Kartikeya, Shiva's son the warrior. Extremely popular in South India.
Krish	Short Modern	Short form used as a prefix — Krishnamurti, Krishnananda etc.
Rudransh	Modern Compound	Part of Rudra — a piece of Shiva's Rudra energy. Increasingly popular.
Shivansh	Modern Compound	Part of Shiva — one who carries Shiva's energy. Very popular in North India.
Shivay	Modern short form	A modern variant of Shiva/Shivam. Short, clean, instantly recognisable.
Shivom	Modern Compound	Shiva + Om — combining Shiva's name with the primordial sound.
Tejasvi	Modern Sanskrit	Radiant, brilliant — one shining with Shiva's tejas (divine radiance).
Vedant	Classical-Modern	End of the Veda — Shiva as the Vedanta truth; the name represents wisdom.
Viaan	Modern	Full of life — Shiva as the divine vitality animating all creation.
Vivaan	Modern Hindi	Full of life, lively — the vitality of Shiva that pervades all existence.
Yash	Short Modern	Glory — Shiva's infinite glory. Simple, powerful, works across generations.
Yuv	Modern Short	Youth — Shiva as Yuvaraj, the eternally youthful lord.

Complete Name Groups: Every Letter Covered

For completeness, here are additional names across all remaining letters, ensuring every parent finds options regardless of their nakshatra-based syllable preference.

Names for Ka, Kha, Ga, Gha (Gemini nakshatra group)

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Kalachakra	कालचक्र	Wheel of time — Shiva as Mahakala who turns the wheel of all time
Kameshwar	कामेश्वर	Lord of desire — Shiva who transcends and governs all desire
Kapardi	कपर्दी	One with matted locks — ancient Vedic epithet for Rudra-Shiva
Karunesh	करुणेश	Lord of compassion — Shiva as the ocean of karuna (compassion)
Kashyap	कश्यप	Tortoise — a great rishi; Shiva who bears the world like a cosmic tortoise
Ketushiva	केतुशिव	Banner-Shiva — Shiva whose cosmic banner is the crescent moon and trident
Khagesh	खगेश	Lord of birds (sky-beings) — Shiva as the lord of the sky
Kiriti	किरीटी	Crown-wearer — Shiva whose crown is the Ganga and moon
Komal	कोमल	Soft, tender — Shiva's tenderness towards his devotees (Bholenath aspect)
Krishnachandra	कृष्णचंद्र	Dark moon — Shiva's moon on the dark fortnight

Names for Cha, Chha, Ja, Jha (Cancer nakshatra group)

Name	Sanskrit	Meaning
Jagadbandhu	जगद्बंधु	Friend of the world — Shiva as the cosmic friend of all beings
Jagadeesh	जगदीश	Lord of the world — Shiva who governs all existence
Jaganmohana	जगन्मोहन	Enchanter of the world — Shiva whose beauty enchants all creation
Jaladhipa	जलाधिप	Master of waters — Shiva who controls the cosmic waters
Jambunath	जंबूनाथ	Lord of Jambu — Shiva as the lord of the sacred Jambu (rose-apple) tree
Janardhana	जनार्दन	Liberator of people — Shiva who frees all people from bondage
Janeshwar	जनेश्वर	Lord of the people — Shiva as the beloved deity of the masses
Charushila	चारुशील	Beautiful character — one with Shiva's beautiful qualities
Chaturbhuj	चतुर्भुज	Four-armed — Shiva in his four-armed iconic form

Names from Shiva's Weapons and Symbols

Many of Shiva's names derive from his iconic weapons, ornaments and symbols. These make powerful names that carry the energy of Shiva's divine powers.

Name	Symbol	Meaning
Damaru	ḍamaru drum	The cosmic drum — Shiva's damaru produced the Sanskrit alphabet at the cosmic moment of creation
Digvijay	trident	Victor of all directions — Shiva who conquers in all directions
Durgadhar	trident	Bearer of the fortress — Shiva who holds the protection of dharma
Ghanaksha	third eye	Dense-eyed — Shiva whose eye sees with total completeness
Jatayu	matted hair	Born of Jata — the divine being associated with Shiva's sacred locks
Kapala	skull cup	Skull — Shiva as Kapalika, who carries a skull to show his mastery over death
Nataraj	cosmic dance	King of dancers — Shiva whose Ananda Tandava maintains the cosmos
Pashupash	noose of bondage	Master of bonds — Shiva who frees souls from all bonds
Pinaka	divine bow	Bearer of Pinaka — Shiva's sacred bow with which he destroyed the three demon cities
Prashurama	axe	Axe-bearer — in some traditions, the divine warrior armed with Shiva's axe
Shulpani	trident	Trident-in-hand — Shiva who bears the trishula
Shulesh	trident	Lord of the trident — Shiva as the master of the three-pronged cosmic instrument
Trinayana	third eye	Three-eyed — Shiva whose third eye sees all of past, present and future
Trishulank	trident	Marked by the trident — one who bears Shiva's trident mark

Names from Shiva's Relationships

Shiva as a divine person has deep relationships — with Parvati, with Ganesha, with Kartikeya, with Nandi, with the Saptarishis. Names from these relationships express different facets of his personality.

Name	Relationship	Meaning
Ganapati	Father of Ganesha	Lord of Gana — Shiva as the father of Ganesha, lord of all groups
Gauripriya	Husband of Gauri	Beloved of Gauri — Shiva as the loving consort of Parvati-Gauri
Guhanayak	Father of Murugan	Leader of the cave — Shiva as the father of Murugan who dwells in hill caves
Nandikeshwar	Master of Nandi	Lord of Nandi — Shiva whose eternal companion is the bull Nandi
Nandipriya	Companion of Nandi	Beloved of Nandi — Shiva who is dear to Nandi and vice versa
Parvatipati	Husband of Parvati	Husband of Parvati — Shiva as the divine consort, model of marital devotion
Saptarishi	Teacher of rishis	Seven sages — Shiva who taught the seven sages at Kailash
Skandajanani	Father of Skanda	Father of Skanda — Shiva from whose divine fire Kartikeya was born
Skandapita	Father of Skanda	Father Skanda — Shiva as the cosmic father who produced Kartikeya
Skandapriya	Father of Skanda	Fond of Skanda — Shiva's deep love for his warrior son
Umesh	Husband of Uma	Lord of Uma — Shiva as the devoted husband of Uma-Parvati
Umapati	Husband of Uma	Master of Uma — Shiva as Uma's loving partner

How to Perform the Naming Ceremony (Namakarana Samskara)

In the Hindu tradition, naming a child is one of the sixteen samskaras (life ceremonies). The Namakarana is typically performed on the 11th or 12th day after birth, though practices vary by region and family tradition. Here is the traditional Shaiva Namakarana procedure for those naming their son with a Shiva name.

Step 1: Choosing the Auspicious Day

Consult a Jyotishi (Vedic astrologer) to determine the appropriate day and nakshatra for the naming ceremony. Monday (Somavar, Shiva's day) is especially auspicious for naming a son after Shiva. Pradosham days (13th lunar day, evening) are also highly auspicious.

Step 2: The Sacred Space

Set up a small altar with a Shiva Linga or an image of Shiva. Offer bilva leaves, milk, bhasma (sacred ash), blue flowers and water from a sacred river. Light a ghee lamp and incense of guggul or sandalwood.

Step 3: The Naming Ritual

The father (or in his absence, the mother) takes the baby and whispers the chosen name into the right ear three times. The name is then spoken aloud by the family priest or elder while family members shower blessings. The mantra for naming a child after Shiva:

Step 4: First Feeding

After the naming, the baby is given a drop of honey mixed with ghee on a golden spoon, accompanied by the prayer that the child may grow with the sweetness of Shiva's grace and the clarity of divine wisdom.

Numerology and Name Energy

In the Vedic tradition, the numeric value of a name (calculated from the Sanskrit alphabet) influences the child's destiny. Here are some popular Shiva names with their numerological values:

Name	Value	Quality
Shiva	5	Freedom, change, versatility — Shiva the free one
Rudra	6	Responsibility, protection, family — the protector aspect
Shankar	7	Wisdom, depth, spirituality — the sage aspect
Mahesh	3	Creativity, expression, joy — the creative aspect
Omkar	9	Completion, universality — the cosmic sound
Ishan	1	Leadership, independence, initiation — the pioneer
Adinath	8	Power, mastery, achievement — the primordial lord
Nataraj	4	Stability, form, structure — the dancing master of form

Final Thoughts: The Power in a Shiva Name

Every time a parent calls their son by a Shiva name, they are invoking the divine. Every time a teacher writes the name on a school register, they are inscribing divinity in the mundane world. Every time a friend greets the child, a mantra is spoken. This is the ancient Hindu understanding: nama (name) and nami (the named one) are non-different. To name your child Shiva is to recognise Shiva in your child — and in all children.

The Shiva Purana declares: "Whosoever names their child with any name of Shiva, that child shall be protected by Shiva throughout this life, shall be dear to Shiva, and shall attain liberation at the end of this life." This is the gift parents give when they reach into the treasury of the Shiva Sahasranama and draw out a name for their newborn son.

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