Salvator
Latin name derived from "salvator" meaning "savior" or "one who saves".
Name Census estimates that about 347 living Americans carry the first name Salvator. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Salvator today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Salvator births was 1989 (41 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Salvator. 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.
People living today
347
~ 1 in 987,765 Americans
Peak year
1989
41 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2009 SSA rank
#9,709
Tracked since 1910
Popularity
Salvator: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Salvator from the 1910s through to the 2000s, spanning 10 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 250 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Salvator 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 Salvator during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Salvators live
The SSA's state-level files cover 3 states and territories. New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania recorded the most babies named Salvator, while Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New York recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 96 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Salvator
The name Salvator finds its origins in the Latin language, specifically derived from the word "salvator," meaning "savior" or "preserver." This name has strong religious connotations and was particularly popular during the medieval and Renaissance periods in Christian-influenced regions of Europe.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Salvator can be found in the Bible, where it is used as a title for Jesus Christ, the savior of humanity according to Christian beliefs. The name gained popularity as a way for Christian families to honor their religious faith and express their devotion to the figure of the savior.
In the 15th century, the Italian Renaissance artist and sculptor Salvator Rosa (1615-1673) became renowned for his unique style and contributions to the Baroque period. His name, Salvator, exemplified the enduring influence of the name's religious roots during this time.
Another notable bearer of the name was Salvator Allende (1908-1973), the Chilean politician and physician who served as the President of Chile from 1970 until his death in 1973. His name reflected the continued use of the name in Latin American countries with strong Catholic traditions.
In the field of literature, Salvator Gotta (1887-1975) was an Italian novelist and playwright known for his works exploring social and political themes. His name carried the timeless quality of the Latin origin, reflecting the enduring nature of the name throughout various eras.
Salvator Mundi, a painting attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, depicts Christ as the "Savior of the World" and is considered one of the most valuable paintings in the world. The title itself is a direct reference to the Latin meaning of the name, further solidifying its religious significance in art and culture.
While the name Salvator has maintained a consistent presence throughout history, its popularity has varied across different regions and time periods, reflecting the cultural and religious influences that have shaped its usage and significance over the centuries.
People
Salvator + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Salvator 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
Salvator: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Salvator?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 347 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Salvator 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 987,765 US residents.
Is Salvator a common name?
We classify Salvator as "Very Rare". It ranks above 80.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 920 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Salvator most popular?
The single biggest year for Salvator was 1989, when 41 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Salvator is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Salvator a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Salvator 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.