Sham means “candle, lamp”. It probably comes from Arabic. It is documented as a boy's name in Kazakh.
- Sham is a name of Arabic origin.
- It is recorded for Kazakh.
- 1 syllable (counted from the spelling) and 4 letters.
What does Sham mean?
Literal meaning
Sham (Шам) is a Kazakh boy's name listed in the KazPER name list. The name is identical to the Kazakh word шам, which a dictionary glosses as ‘candle’.[1]
Sham in Kazakh
What does Sham mean in Kazakh?
In Kazakh the name is written Шам and Sham (common romanization). No separate Kazakh gloss is recorded, so the general meaning “candle, lamp” applies. It is recorded as a boy's name.[1]
Where does the name Sham come from?
Arabic, borrowing. From Arabic.Editorial · likely (Meaning from TurkicNames' editorial research; not yet linked to a cited source.)
Is Sham a Kazakh name?
Yes. Sham is documented as a given name in Kazakh. Etymologically it is not a native Turkic word: it comes from Arabic.
Sham across Turkic languages
| Language | Spelling | Gender | Meaning in this language | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kazakh | ШамCyrillic | Boy | same as above: “candle, lamp” | Documented[1] |
Similar spellings in different languages do not prove a shared origin: two languages can arrive at the same sound from different words. The origin section above states what the sources say.
Spelling variations of Sham
Forms are shown as recorded, in their original script. Romanizations and rule-based conversions are labelled with their system and are not presented as attested spellings.
Sibling names for Sham
Names recorded for the same language (Kazakh) that start with a different letter, so two children are not mixed up. Names that share a meaning theme or an element with Sham rank first. Siblings do not have to match; these are only ideas.
- AibarBoy“moon + there is / there are, there exist”same language (kazakh)
- LianaGirl“liana vine”same language (kazakh)
- BaluanBoy“wrestler, strongman”same language (kazakh)
- AlpysBoy“sixty”same language (kazakh)
- AinagulGirl“mirror flower”same language (kazakh)
- AbdimanapBoy“servant of the Bountiful”same language (kazakh)
- GapparBoy“inclined to forgive, forgiving”same language (kazakh)
- UmitUnisex“hope”same language (kazakh)
Common questions about Sham
What does the name Sham mean?
Sham means “candle, lamp”. It probably comes from Arabic. It is documented as a boy's name in Kazakh.
Is Sham a girl's or a boy's name?
Sham is recorded as a boy's name.
Where does Sham come from?
Sham is of Arabic origin according to our origin records. Read the origin section above for the sources.
Which languages use Sham?
Sham is recorded for Kazakh. The table shows each language's spelling, gender and evidence label, and a language is listed only when our data records the name for it.
How is Sham spelled in other scripts?
Recorded spellings: Шам (Cyrillic), Sham (Latin). Romanizations and rule-based conversions are labelled as such in the spelling table.
How many syllables does Sham have?
Sham has 1 syllable by our approximate count of vowel groups in the spelling, and 4 letters. Pronunciation can differ by language.
Sources
Numbers in the text point to these sources. The descriptions on this page are written by a fixed template filled only with the stored source facts; source texts are not copied.
- Rustem Yeshpanov. KazPER Kazakh person-name list. Accessed 2026-10-28. Licence: CC BY 4.0.
Supports: listed in KazPER; KazPER lists Шам; KazPER English spelling Sham
Suggest a correction
Found an error or have a better source? Suggestions are checked against the sources and never change the page automatically.