Fun Facts About the Name Shilpa
- 573 babies named Shilpa: U.S. records list 573 babies given the name Shilpa from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Shilpa Mean?
Shilpa means "art," "craft," or "work of art," and it comes from Sanskrit. The source word is the Sanskrit noun śilpa, which covers artistic and technical making: craft, skill, ornament, decoration, and the products of skilled hands. From the same base comes śilpin, "artist," "craftsman," or "artisan." The name is therefore not a sentence-like phrase but the common noun itself, used as a personal name.
The literal sense is "art" or "craft." Any broader reading of the name as expressing creativity or artistic character is a later association, not part of the word's basic meaning.
Shilpa Name History & Origins
Śilpa is an old Sanskrit word. It appears in classical Indian literature in connection with skilled making, and it supplies the first element of the compound śilpa-śāstra, the name given to traditional treatises on the arts and crafts, including sculpture, iconography, and temple building.
The word passed into the modern Indian languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, and the Dravidian languages Kannada and Telugu, where it continues to mean art, craft, or sculpture. As a given name, Shilpa is used mainly for girls in India and in Indian communities abroad, with spellings such as Shilpa, Silpa, and Shilpā. Closely related names include Shilpi, Shilpika, and Shilpita, all built on the same "art, craft" element. The Indian actress Shilpa Shetty is a well-known bearer of the name.
How Popular is the Name Shilpa?
Shilpa has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1973. Its best rank was #2,497 in 1973.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #16,682 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #15,807 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #15,484 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #17,713 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #13,276 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #8,473 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1999 | #8,157 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1998 | #7,051 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1997 | #5,592 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1996 | #5,738 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1995 | #4,823 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1994 | #6,612 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1993 | #5,171 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1992 | #7,004 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1991 | #7,904 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1990 | #5,250 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1989 | #5,255 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1988 | #4,633 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1987 | #5,573 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1986 | #4,516 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1985 | #4,430 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1984 | #4,466 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1983 | #4,260 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1982 | #3,632 | 23 | 0.0014% |
| 1981 | #3,720 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1980 | #3,492 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1979 | #4,809 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1978 | #3,374 | 23 | 0.0015% |
| 1977 | #4,616 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1976 | #3,649 | 19 | 0.0013% |
| 1975 | #3,144 | 23 | 0.0016% |
| 1974 | #4,200 | 15 | 0.0010% |
| 1973 | #2,497 | 30 | 0.0021% |
| 1972 | #5,055 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1971 | #5,469 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1970 | #4,724 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1968 | #4,448 | 11 | 0.0007% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Shilpa Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are basically peacemaker. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your love, ideals, wealth or work. You can be very sensitive and could appear a bit shy and perceptive. You have developed intuition, patience and the ability to nurture others. You can achieve the state of happiness if you are willing to accept your needs in a complimentary relationship and go to create them.
✦ Shilpa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Shilpa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.