UK boy's name
Shankar
A masculine Hindu name meaning "giver of prosperity and happiness".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 1997. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Shankar is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Shankar popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 1997 in this profile. In that release it ranked #2859, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 1997, with 3 births.
This profile covers 3 England and Wales registrations across 1 recorded years from 1997 to 1997. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
Shankar is at its recorded peak in the England and Wales series.
We estimate that about 3 living people in the UK are called Shankar. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 1998 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Shankar ranked #2859 for boys in England and Wales in 1997, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 1997, when 3 boys were registered as Shankar.
- • About 3 living people in the UK are estimated to have Shankar as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#2859
1997
Births in 1997
3
Latest year
Peak year
1997
3 births
Estimated living
3
2026
Meaning
What does Shankar mean?
The name Shankar originates from Sanskrit, an ancient Indo-Aryan language that served as the root of many modern Indian languages. It is a compound word derived from the Sanskrit terms "shankh" meaning conch shell, and "kara" meaning holder or bearer. In Hindu mythology, the conch shell is a sacred object associated with the deities Vishnu and Lakshmi.
Shankar is also one of the many names of the Hindu god Shiva, revered as the Supreme Being and the transformer within the Trimurti of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The name appears in numerous ancient Hindu scriptures, including the Vedas, Upanishads, and the epic Mahabharata.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Shankar can be found in the Shiva Purana, an important Hindu text that narrates the stories, legends, and teachings associated with Lord Shiva. The text, believed to have been composed between the 5th and 8th centuries CE, mentions Shankar as a manifestation of Shiva, the destroyer and transformer.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Shankar. One of the most famous was Adi Shankaracharya (788 CE - 820 CE), a revered Hindu philosopher and theologian who revived and consolidated the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta. He is credited with establishing the monastic tradition of Dashanami Sampradaya and is renowned for his commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads.
Another prominent figure was Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918 - 1999), an Indian politician and the ninth President of India, serving from 1992 to 1997. He was also the Vice President of India from 1987 to 1992.
In the field of music, Shankar Mahadevan (born 1967) is a renowned Indian singer, composer, and music producer who has won numerous awards, including several Filmfare Awards and National Film Awards.
Shankar Ramakrishnan (born 1958) is a distinguished Indian theoretical computer scientist known for his contributions to the field of computational complexity theory. He was awarded the prestigious Padma Shri, one of India's highest civilian honors, in 2023.
Shankar Nag (1954 - 1990) was a celebrated Indian actor, director, and playwright who made significant contributions to the Kannada film industry and theatre. He is regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of Kannada cinema.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Decades
Shankar by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Shankar was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | #2859 | 3 | 1 |
Related
Names similar to Shankar
- Samuel 108,505
- Sebastian 33,008
- Sam 20,889
- Stanley 16,354
- Sonny 15,028
- Sean 15,006
- Scott 12,587
- Seth 9,841
- Syed 9,050
- Stephen 8,884
- Spencer 8,333
- Steven 6,970
FAQ
Shankar: questions and answers
How popular is the name Shankar in the UK right now?
In 1997, Shankar was ranked #2859 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Shankar most popular?
The peak year on record was 1997, with 3 babies registered as Shankar in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Shankar?
A masculine Hindu name meaning "giver of prosperity and happiness".
How many people are called Shankar in the UK?
A total of 3 babies have been registered as Shankar across the 1 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.