Fun Facts About the Name San
- More than 2 thousand babies named San: U.S. records list 2,502 babies given the name San from 1880 through 2025. Even 626 boys received the name San - about 1 boy for every 3 girls.
What Does the Name San Mean?
San is most clearly established as a Korean given name, where it is associated with the Sino-Korean element san (산), from the character 山, meaning "mountain." Korean names are often written with hanja, and the same sound can represent different characters, so a specific bearer's name may have a different meaning if another character is used. The word san also appears in Korean place names and as an element in longer personal names.
The Spanish word san is unrelated as a personal name: it is a title meaning "saint," from Latin sanctus "holy." In Japanese, -san is an honorific suffix, not a given name. These are separate uses of the same spelling, not evidence of a shared origin.
San Name History & Origins
The Korean element 山 has the Sino-Korean reading san. It belongs to the layer of Korean vocabulary borrowed from Chinese characters, and it is used in names and place names. A Korean given name written only in hangul as 산 can correspond to more than one hanja, so its meaning is not fixed without the characters; 山 "mountain" is the most direct association for the element.
The Spanish title has a separate history. Latin sanctus became Spanish santo, and the shortened form san is used before most masculine saints' names, as in San Juan and San Francisco. Spanish keeps santo in forms such as Santo Tomás and Santo Domingo. This title is not a given name and does not give San a Spanish personal-name history.
How Popular is the Name San?
San has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 1950. Its best rank was #1,142 in 1950.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #11,755 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2024 | #17,204 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #13,243 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2016 | #18,393 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #18,657 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #19,989 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #18,281 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #17,416 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #17,090 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #14,085 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1998 | #16,091 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #11,832 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #11,546 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1995 | #11,514 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1994 | #11,524 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #8,566 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1992 | #9,331 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #6,899 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #6,391 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #7,344 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1988 | #6,186 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1987 | #6,683 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1986 | #5,139 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1985 | #6,837 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1984 | #4,453 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1983 | #4,431 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1982 | #3,152 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1981 | #3,974 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1980 | #3,118 | 28 | 0.0017% |
| 1979 | #3,874 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 1978 | #3,074 | 26 | 0.0017% |
| 1977 | #2,894 | 28 | 0.0018% |
| 1976 | #3,382 | 21 | 0.0014% |
| 1975 | #2,189 | 39 | 0.0027% |
| 1974 | #2,243 | 36 | 0.0025% |
| 1973 | #2,054 | 40 | 0.0027% |
| 1972 | #2,501 | 29 | 0.0019% |
| 1971 | #1,679 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1970 | #2,002 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1969 | #1,628 | 55 | 0.0033% |
| 1968 | #1,621 | 51 | 0.0031% |
| 1967 | #1,654 | 48 | 0.0029% |
| 1966 | #1,630 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 1965 | #1,736 | 43 | 0.0024% |
| 1964 | #1,833 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1963 | #1,918 | 38 | 0.0020% |
| 1962 | #1,687 | 46 | 0.0023% |
| 1961 | #1,784 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 1960 | #1,654 | 47 | 0.0023% |
| 1959 | #1,876 | 36 | 0.0018% |
| 1958 | #1,571 | 47 | 0.0023% |
| 1957 | #1,774 | 38 | 0.0019% |
| 1956 | #1,655 | 42 | 0.0021% |
| 1955 | #1,796 | 35 | 0.0018% |
| 1954 | #1,457 | 48 | 0.0025% |
| 1953 | #1,525 | 42 | 0.0022% |
| 1952 | #1,632 | 36 | 0.0019% |
| 1951 | #1,299 | 52 | 0.0029% |
| 1950 | #1,142 | 66 | 0.0039% |
| 1949 | #1,433 | 42 | 0.0025% |
| 1948 | #1,570 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 1947 | #1,852 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 1946 | #1,847 | 25 | 0.0016% |
| 1945 | #2,047 | 18 | 0.0014% |
| 1944 | #2,180 | 17 | 0.0013% |
| 1943 | #4,611 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1942 | #4,562 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,895 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1940 | #4,272 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1938 | #3,797 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1937 | #3,740 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1935 | #3,699 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1934 | #2,710 | 11 | 0.0011% |
| 1933 | #3,080 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1932 | #2,808 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1931 | #4,270 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #4,491 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1929 | #3,354 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1928 | #3,133 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1927 | #4,724 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #4,247 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1925 | #3,978 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1924 | #2,951 | 12 | 0.0010% |
| 1922 | #3,616 | 9 | 0.0007% |
| 1921 | #5,747 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1920 | #5,650 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1911 | #2,164 | 7 | 0.0017% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,552 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2024 | #12,059 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2021 | #13,736 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #11,764 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2019 | #13,782 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #13,895 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2016 | #13,844 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2015 | #9,420 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2014 | #8,022 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #13,706 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2010 | #9,513 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2008 | #8,194 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2005 | #13,006 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #12,889 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2003 | #7,717 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2002 | #12,167 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #6,423 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #9,062 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #6,396 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1995 | #4,737 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #6,863 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1993 | #6,133 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1992 | #4,067 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1991 | #3,606 | 17 | 0.0008% |
| 1990 | #3,933 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1989 | #3,776 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #4,406 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1987 | #3,173 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1986 | #3,841 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1985 | #3,191 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 1984 | #2,278 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 1983 | #4,433 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1982 | #2,505 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1981 | #2,659 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1980 | #2,935 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 1979 | #4,779 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1978 | #3,804 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1977 | #4,101 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1976 | #3,674 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1975 | #3,048 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1974 | #4,124 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1973 | #4,421 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #2,799 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1971 | #2,788 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #3,482 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1969 | #3,274 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1968 | #4,638 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1967 | #2,123 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1966 | #3,880 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1965 | #3,861 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #4,516 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1963 | #3,981 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1962 | #3,263 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1961 | #3,313 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1960 | #4,513 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1959 | #3,004 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #2,993 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1956 | #4,383 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1954 | #3,414 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1953 | #4,262 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #2,989 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #2,773 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #3,327 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1943 | #3,967 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,929 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1926 | #4,732 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #4,851 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1922 | #4,852 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1919 | #4,699 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1917 | #4,478 | 5 | 0.0005% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name San Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are very intuitive. You have a reservoir of inspired wisdom combined with inherited analytical ability, which could reward you through expressions of spiritual leadership, business analysis, marketing, artistic visions, and scientific research. Operating on spiritual side of your individuality can bring you to the great heights, and drop you off if you neglect your spiritual identity. You are always looking for an opportunity to investigate the unknown, to use and show your mental abilities, to find the purpose and meaning of life. You want to grow wise and to understand people and things. You need privacy to replenish your energy. You have a unique way of thinking, intuitive, reflective, absorbing.
✦ San's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover San's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.