Shiva vs Skanda

Baby Name Comparison — 2026

Shiva

Boy #5,599 Most Popular 2 Syllables

Meaning

"auspicious, benign, propitious"

Origin: Sanskrit

Cultural Roots

Hindu Indian Nepali Balinese

Quick Stats

Popularity Rank
#5,599
Total SSA Count
17
Syllables
2
Formality
Moderate
Nicknames
Shiv

Playground Safety Score

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Skanda

Boy #5,556 Most Popular 2 Syllables

Meaning

"leaper, attacker, one who attacks"

Origin: Sanskrit

Cultural Roots

Hindu Indian Sri Lankan Tamil South Asian

Quick Stats

Popularity Rank
#5,556
Total SSA Count
17
Syllables
2
Formality
Formal
Nicknames
Skan

Playground Safety Score

✓ All Clear
Full profile for Skanda →

Popularity Comparison

Shiva Rank #5,599
Skanda Rank #5,556

Skanda is more popular, ranked #5556 vs #5599 for Shiva.

Popularity Over Time

Historical US popularity rank — lower number means more popular.

Middle Name Pairings

Shiva ___

  • Shiva Kumar
  • Shiva Prasad
  • Shiva Shankar
  • Shiva Ram
  • Shiva Das
  • Shiva Nath

Skanda ___

  • Skanda Kumar
  • Skanda Raj
  • Skanda Dev
  • Skanda Nath
  • Skanda Prasad
  • Skanda Arjun

Sibling Name Ideas

Names that pair well as siblings.

If you choose Shiva

Vishnu Krishna Lakshmi Parvati Ganesh

If you choose Skanda

Ganesha Arjun Kiran Priya Deepa

Which Name Fits Your Family?

Answer 3 quick questions and we'll help you decide.

1. Which style feels more like your family?

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Shiva or Skanda more popular?

Skanda is more popular, ranked #5556 compared to Shiva at #5599 in the United States.

What do Shiva and Skanda mean?

Shiva means "auspicious, benign, propitious" (Sanskrit origin). Skanda means "leaper, attacker, one who attacks" (Sanskrit origin).

Are Shiva and Skanda boy or girl names?

Shiva is primarily a boy name. Skanda is primarily a boy name.

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← Full profile: Shiva ← Full profile: Skanda Browse all baby names