| Nirav | Soma | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Silent, calm, quiet | Moon |
| Origin | sanskrit | sanskrit |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | NEE-ruhv | SOH-mah |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 0 | 0 |
| Peak year | 1984 (21) | 2022 (14) |
| In 2025 | 0 | 0 |
| Trend | Steady | Rising |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Nirav | Soma |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 48 | 60 |
| 2010s | 120 | 68 |
| 2000s | 63 | 16 |
| 1990s | 63 | 0 |
| 1980s | 158 | 0 |
| 1970s | 94 | 0 |
From the Sanskrit निरव (nirava), 'soundless, still', formed from nir- ('without') + rava ('sound, noise') — hence tranquil stillness. A genuine, if less common, classical formation.
Soma is a common alternate name of the Hindu moon god Chandra. Note: in the earliest Vedic texts Soma referred chiefly to a ritual plant and its drink; the lunar sense developed in post-Vedic mythology, so the moon meaning is deity-derived rather than primary.
Nirav and Soma are given to a similar number of US babies today.
Nirav means Silent, calm, quiet (sanskrit origin), while Soma means Moon (sanskrit origin).
In US records, Nirav first appears in 0 and Soma in 0, so Nirav has the longer recorded history.