Sheba is a feminine given name of Hebrew origin, derived from the name of an ancient queen mentioned in the Bible. The name means "seven" or "oath," reflecting its association with the sevenfold oath sworn by King David's descendants in their royal psalms.
In the biblical narrative, Sheba was a queen of the southern kingdom of Sheba (modern-day Yemen), who visited King Solomon to test his wisdom with riddles and puzzles. The story can be found in 1 Kings 10:1-13 and Matthew 12:42 in the New Testament.
The name Sheba gained popularity during the Victorian era, likely due to its exotic sound and biblical associations. Today, it continues to be used as a given name for girls, although it remains relatively rare compared to more common names like Sarah or Rachel.
In various languages, the name Sheba can take on different forms. In Arabic, it is written "Sheba'" (شِئْبَاء), while in Hebrew, it appears as "Sh'va" (שְׁבָה). Despite these variations, the meaning and origins of the name remain consistent across cultures.
Overall, Sheba is an intriguing and historically significant name with a strong biblical connection. Its unique sound and powerful meaning make it an attractive choice for parents seeking an uncommon yet meaningful name for their daughter.
Based on the provided statistics, we can analyze the trend of the name Sheba over time in the United States.
From the early 20th century to the late 1950s, there was a relatively low number of births with the name Sheba. The highest number during this period was 23 births in 1953. However, starting from the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, there was an increase in popularity for the name Sheba. In fact, it reached its peak popularity during these decades with a total of 28 births in 1960, followed by another peak of 29 births in 1961.
The popularity of the name Sheba continued to fluctuate throughout the 1970s and early 1980s. The highest number during this period was 65 births in 1975. However, it's worth noting that there were some years where the number of births with the name Sheba decreased significantly. For instance, there were only 5 births in 1997 and again in 2001.
The popularity of the name Sheba appears to have experienced a resurgence in recent years. There was a significant increase from 5 births in 2016 to 8 births in 2017, followed by another peak of 11 births in 2022. This suggests that the name Sheba may be regaining some popularity among parents today.
Overall, while the name Sheba has experienced fluctuations in popularity over time, it appears to have had periods of notable popularity during the late 1950s and early 1960s, as well as more recently.