Soham is a Sanskrit name and sacred phrase meaning I am He or I am that.
Soham is not merely a name — it is a mantra, a philosophical proposition, and a meditation on consciousness compressed into two syllables. In Sanskrit, "soham" (sometimes written "so'ham") is formed from "sah" meaning "he" or "that" and "aham" meaning "I," yielding the declaration "I am That" or "I am He." This is among the most profound formulations in Advaita Vedanta, the non-dualist school of Hindu philosophy: the individual self (Atman) and the universal consciousness (Brahman) are not separate — they are identical.
The mantra teaches that the ground of one's own awareness is the same ground that underlies all existence. The Upanishads connect soham to the very rhythm of breathing: the inhalation is said to sound like "so" and the exhalation like "ham," meaning that every breath silently repeats this affirmation of unity. This physiological dimension gives the mantra an intimacy that purely intellectual formulations lack — it is a truth the body continuously speaks.
Yogic and tantric traditions developed elaborate contemplative practices around this breath-mantra, and it remains in active use in meditation communities worldwide. As a given name, Soham is particularly popular in Gujarat and Maharashtra, where it is given to boys as a blessing and an aspiration — the hope that a child will grow into an awareness of his own deepest nature. The name carries enormous philosophical weight without heaviness; it is short, melodious, and accessible to speakers of many languages. Outside India, it has traveled with the diaspora and increasingly appears in Western countries, where its meaning — when explained — often produces a moment of genuine wonder in those encountering it for the first time.