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At a Glance: Name: San – Gender: Neutral – Pronunciation: SAHN
San is a short, neutral name pronounced SAHN (IPA /ˈsɑːn/), with a clean, modern style. You might see it listed elsewhere as Hebrew for 'sacred, holy,' but that claim doesn't check out — the only documented root for 'San' is an unrelated African ethnonym, not a personal-name meaning, so there's no meaning to share here. If San appeals to you, it's likely for its clean, minimal sound rather than any backstory.
Meaning & Origin of San
A common claim: Often listed on baby-name sites as Hebrew for 'sacred, holy.' Actually: There's no Hebrew basis for this claim — the only documented etymology for 'San' is an unrelated (and sometimes offensive) African ethnonym, not a personal-name root.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce San
Phonetic: SAHN IPA: /ˈsɑːn/
Popularity of San
SSA records for San run from 1911 to 2024, with the name peaking at #1142 in 1950 (66 babies) and falling to #12059 in 2024, when only 6 babies were given the name.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1911–2024.
Make San Name Art
Free printable nursery art for San, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name San mean?
Often listed on baby-name sites as Hebrew for ‘sacred, holy.’ There’s no Hebrew basis for this claim — the only documented etymology for ‘San’ is an unrelated (and sometimes offensive) African ethnonym, not a personal-name root.
How do you pronounce San?
San is pronounced SAHN (IPA: /ˈsɑːn/).
Is San a popular name right now?
San peaked at #1142 in 1950 and is ranked #12059 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1911–2024.)
📊 How popular is San? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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