Fun Facts About the Name Sanaa
- More than 6 thousand babies named Sanaa: U.S. records list 6,144 babies given the name Sanaa from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Sanaa Mean?
Sanaa is an Arabic feminine name taken from the word sanāʾ (سناء), meaning "radiance," "brilliance," or "splendor." The word belongs to the root س-ن-و, whose core sense is brightness, glow, or loftiness. Related Arabic words from the same root include sanā (light, glow) and saniyy (high, exalted), so the name's literal sense is close to "that which shines" or "elevated brightness." "Radiance" is the usual short English gloss.
The Yemeni capital Sanaa (صنعاء, Ṣanʿāʾ) is a separate word with a different spelling and should not be confused with the personal name. In English the name is also written Sana or Sanah; the spelling Sana can equally represent a different Arabic name, thanāʾ (ثناء), meaning "praise," so an identical English spelling does not always point to the same Arabic original.
Sanaa Name History & Origins
Sanaa came into use as a personal name through Arabic, where given names are often drawn from ordinary words with favorable meanings. It is used in the Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, the Levant, and North Africa, and among Muslim communities in other regions. The shorter transliteration Sana is common in South Asia, though there it may also stand for the name meaning "praise."
Because Arabic writes the long vowel and the final hamza in ways English does not reproduce directly, the name appears in English as Sanaa, Sana, or Sanah. The double-a spelling is the one commonly used for the American actress Sanaa Lathan and for the Moroccan-born director Sanaa Hamri; the name itself was in use in Arabic long before these spellings became familiar in English.
How Popular is the Name Sanaa?
Sanaa recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2006. Its best rank was #606 in 2006.
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 | #2,116 | 89 | 0.0055% |
| 2024 | #2,397 | 76 | 0.0047% |
| 2023 | #2,136 | 90 | 0.0056% |
| 2022 | #2,067 | 94 | 0.0057% |
| 2021 | #1,859 | 108 | 0.0066% |
| 2020 | #1,501 | 143 | 0.0089% |
| 2019 | #1,579 | 136 | 0.0081% |
| 2018 | #1,388 | 162 | 0.0095% |
| 2017 | #1,242 | 192 | 0.0111% |
| 2016 | #1,161 | 217 | 0.0122% |
| 2015 | #1,232 | 201 | 0.0113% |
| 2014 | #1,142 | 219 | 0.0123% |
| 2013 | #1,206 | 199 | 0.0113% |
| 2012 | #1,063 | 237 | 0.0135% |
| 2011 | #900 | 290 | 0.0165% |
| 2010 | #791 | 349 | 0.0196% |
| 2009 | #732 | 397 | 0.0216% |
| 2008 | #766 | 384 | 0.0203% |
| 2007 | #671 | 438 | 0.0228% |
| 2006 | #606 | 482 | 0.0254% |
| 2005 | #823 | 312 | 0.0169% |
| 2004 | #678 | 406 | 0.0221% |
| 2003 | #799 | 310 | 0.0170% |
| 2002 | #1,042 | 207 | 0.0115% |
| 2001 | #1,010 | 213 | 0.0118% |
| 2000 | #4,377 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1999 | #8,684 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #7,447 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1997 | #7,198 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1996 | #8,688 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #7,968 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #15,258 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #10,361 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #11,446 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1991 | #5,605 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1990 | #9,079 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1989 | #9,470 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1988 | #9,049 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1987 | #9,584 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #7,015 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1985 | #6,838 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1983 | #11,632 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #8,053 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1977 | #10,903 | 5 | 0.0003% |
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 Sanaa 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 desire to inspire and lead, to control other's affairs. You are giving, courageous and bold, action oriented,energetic and strong willed. You want to make a difference in the world, and this attitude often attracts you to cultural interests, politics, social issues, and the cultivation of your creative talents.
✦ Sanaa's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Sanaa's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.