At a Glance
- Meaning
- The jasmine flower; the national flower of the Philippines
- Origin
- Tagalog, from Spanish (ultimately Arabic via Malay)
- Gender
- Girl
- Pronunciation
- sam-pah-GEE-tah
Sampaguita is a Tagalog, from Spanish (ultimately Arabic via Malay) girl's name meaning “the jasmine flower; the national flower of the Philippines”. It appears in our list of Filipino Baby Names Rooted in Heritage.
Meaning & Origin of Sampaguita
Meaning: The jasmine flower; the national flower of the Philippines.
Origin: Tagalog, from Spanish (ultimately Arabic via Malay).
A common claim: A well-known legend says the name comes from the Tagalog phrase 'sumpa kita' ('I promise you'), tied to a story about a love promise sealed with the flower. Actually: That romantic 'I promise you' story is a folk tale, not the actual word origin — sampaguita is more likely a Spanish-derived word for jasmine, ultimately from Arabic zanbaq.
How to Pronounce Sampaguita
sam-pah-GEE-tahIPA /ˌsæmpəˈɡiːtə/
Popularity of Sampaguita
Sampaguita doesn’t appear in U.S. Social Security birth records, which include every name given to at least five babies in a year — so it’s rare in the U.S.
Lists That Include Sampaguita
Similar Names
Ilang-ilang · Banaba · Dumulao · Narra · Bagongan · Molave
