Sagan
An Iranian masculine name meaning "bowl" or "wine cup".
Name Census estimates that about 1,137 living Americans carry the first name Sagan. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 63.5% of registrations being male. The average person named Sagan today is around 15 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sagan births was 2018 (83 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sagan. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Sagan sits in rare territory as a truly gender-neutral name, given to boys and girls in near-equal numbers.
- • Sagan is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 15 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
1.1K
~ 1 in 301,455 Americans
Peak year
2018
83 babies that year
Average age
15
years old
2024 SSA rank
#4,524
Tracked since 1987
Gender
Gender distribution for Sagan
Sagan is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 1,152 total registrations, 731 (63.5%) were male and 421 (36.5%) were female.
Sagan as a male name
- Ranked #4,524 in 2024
- 23 male births in 2024
- Peak: 2018 (63 births)
Sagan as a female name
- Ranked #13,174 in 2024
- 7 female births in 2024
- Peak: 1988 (65 births)
Popularity
Sagan: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sagan from the 1980s through to the 2020s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 600 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Sagan remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sagan by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sagan during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sagans live
The SSA's state-level files cover 7 states and territories. California, Texas, Florida recorded the most babies named Sagan, while Virginia, Utah, Tennessee recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 16 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sagan
The name Sagan has its origins in the Sanskrit language, which was widely used in ancient India and the surrounding regions. It is derived from the Sanskrit word "sāgara," which means "ocean" or "sea." This connection suggests that the name may have been initially given to individuals living near large bodies of water or coastal regions.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sagan can be found in the Mahabharata, a revered Indian epic poem dating back to the 8th or 9th century BCE. In this text, Sagan is mentioned as the name of a minor character, a king from a region near the sea.
During the medieval period, the name Sagan gained popularity among certain Buddhist communities in South and Southeast Asia. It was often given to individuals who embraced spiritual teachings or pursued a life of contemplation, perhaps drawing inspiration from the vast and profound nature of the ocean.
In the 16th century, a notable figure named Sagan Pandit lived in present-day Bangladesh. He was a renowned scholar and poet who contributed significantly to the literary traditions of the region. His works, written in the Bengali language, explored themes of love, spirituality, and the natural world.
Fast forward to the 20th century, and one of the most famous individuals to bear the name Sagan was the American astronomer and science communicator Carl Sagan (1934-1996). Known for his influential works like "Cosmos" and "The Pale Blue Dot," Sagan played a crucial role in popularizing science and fostering a deeper appreciation for the universe and our place within it.
Another notable Sagan was the Russian-American biochemist Esther M. Sagan (1927-2022), who made significant contributions to the field of molecular biology and the study of RNA viruses. Her research helped advance our understanding of viral replication and the development of anti-viral therapies.
In the realm of literature, the Turkish writer Sagan Kemal (1905-1964) gained recognition for his novels and short stories that explored the complexities of modern life and the human experience. His works often delved into themes of identity, societal change, and the tensions between tradition and modernity.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Sagan. While its origins can be traced back to ancient India and the Sanskrit language, the name has transcended cultural and geographical boundaries, resonating with people from diverse backgrounds and eras.
People
Sagan + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sagan as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sagan: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sagan?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1,137 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sagan going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 301,455 US residents.
Is Sagan a common name?
We classify Sagan as "Rare". It ranks above 90.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 1,152 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sagan most popular?
The single biggest year for Sagan was 2018, when 83 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sagan is about 15 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sagan a male name?
Yes, 63.5% of people registered as Sagan in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.