Home › Baby Names Directory › Shilpa

Shilpa

♀ Girl

Pronounced SHIL-pah /ˈʃɪl.pɑ/Medium

Meaning: Shilpa is a Sanskrit and Hindi girls' name from 'shilpa', 'sculpture', 'craft', or 'work of art' - the same root behind 'shilpi', an artisan. It carries a graceful sense of created beauty.Medium

In 30 seconds: Shilpa is a Sanskrit name meaning 'sculpture' or 'work of art'. Carried to the U.S. by Indian American families, it stayed a heritage name, peaking gently around 1973 (said 'SHIL-pah').

💕 Browse more names

Origin HighSanskrit, Indian

MeaningShilpa is a Sanskrit and Hindi girls' name from 'shilpa', 'sculpture', 'craft', or 'work of art' - the same root behind 'shilpi', an artisan. It carries a graceful sense of created beauty.

U.S. rank (2010)#16682 ↘ Falling

2010 U.S. births6 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1973

Total births (all-time)≈ 573

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Shilpa is a Sanskrit and Hindi name meaning 'sculpture' or 'work of art', from the root shilpa, 'craft' or 'skilled creation'. It has long been a graceful girls' name in India, and it travelled to the United States with Indian immigrant families in the later twentieth century.

In American records Shilpa remained a modest heritage name, borne by only a few dozen girls a year with a faint peak around 1973 and steady use since among Indian American families. Its meaning of created beauty has kept it in gentle, continuous use.

Did you know? Shilpa comes from the Sanskrit for craft and sculpture, the same root that gives 'Shilpa Shastra', India's classical treatises on art and temple design.

Overall data confidence 80%

References - Shilpa — Sanskrit shilpa 'sculpture / work of art'

Variations

ShilpaaSilpaShilppaShilpi

Nicknames

ShilShilu

Famous Bearers

★Shilpa Shetty (1975–present)
Indian actress and producer known for Hindi-language films and later television work.

If you like Shilpa…

Priya— another graceful Indian name with a soft ending

Kripa— shares the -pa ending

Krupa— lands in the same popularity range

Sana— a fellow Sanskrit choice

Samaya— a fellow Indian choice

Explore names like Shilpa

By themeheritage sanskrit indian

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Shilpa mean?

Shilpa is a Sanskrit and Hindi name meaning 'sculpture' or 'work of art'.

How do you pronounce Shilpa?

It's said SHIL-pah /ˈʃɪl.pɑ/ - two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Shilpa a boy or girl name?

Shilpa is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Shilpa?

Shilpa is uncommon in the U.S., known mainly as a heritage name in Indian American families.