Fun Facts About the Name Sohum
- 584 babies named Sohum: U.S. records list 584 babies given the name Sohum from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Sohum Mean?
Sohum is a Hindu given name taken from the Sanskrit mantra so'ham, formed by joining sah ("that," pointing to the ultimate reality) and aham ("I"). Its literal sense is "I am That" or "That I am." Used in Advaita Vedanta teaching, the phrase affirms the identity of the individual self with the highest reality rather than merely describing a personal quality.
The spelling Sohum reflects the way the Sanskrit vowel is commonly pronounced and transliterated in English; Soham is the more common romanized spelling of the same phrase. The name is not a compound of two separate personal names but a single devotional formula used as a given name.
Sohum Name History & Origins
The formula behind the name appears in Sanskrit religious literature as so'ham, a contraction produced by the rules of Sanskrit sound combination. It belongs to the vocabulary of Advaita Vedanta, the school of Hindu thought that teaches the unity of the individual self and ultimate reality, and it is used as an object of meditation and repetition rather than as an ordinary sentence.
A traditional interpretation connects the syllable pair with breathing: the sound ham is associated with the outgoing breath and sa with the incoming breath, giving hamsa, while the reversed reading yields so'ham. This breath-based reading is a teaching found in yoga and devotional commentary, and should be understood as a traditional explanation rather than a matter of documented linguistic history.
As a personal name, Sohum is given mainly in India, where it appears alongside the variant spelling Soham. Because the name is a religious phrase, its use is tied to families for whom Sanskrit devotional vocabulary is familiar, and it does not have a long recorded history as a personal name in the way that older Sanskrit names such as Rama or Krishna do.
How Popular is the Name Sohum?
Sohum 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 2009. Its best rank was #2,886 in 2009.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,172 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #7,644 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #5,625 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2022 | #5,182 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2021 | #5,527 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #5,198 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2019 | #4,618 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2018 | #6,292 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #5,081 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #4,597 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 2015 | #3,670 | 30 | 0.0016% |
| 2014 | #5,681 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #4,949 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2012 | #3,787 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2011 | #3,685 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 2010 | #3,228 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 2009 | #2,886 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 2008 | #3,726 | 29 | 0.0014% |
| 2007 | #3,877 | 27 | 0.0013% |
| 2006 | #3,297 | 33 | 0.0016% |
| 2005 | #5,006 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #5,209 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #4,782 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2002 | #4,881 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2001 | #5,625 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #5,859 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1997 | #7,996 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #5,916 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #5,856 | 10 | 0.0005% |
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 Sohum 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 frank, methodical and believe in law, system and order.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Sohum's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Sohum's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.