Sango
A feminine Japanese name meaning "coral branch".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Sango. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sango today is around 5 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sango births was 2021 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sango. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Sango. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2021
5 babies that year
Average age
5
years old
2021 SSA rank
#13,739
Tracked since 2021
Popularity
Sango: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Sango 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 Sango during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Sango
The name Sango originates from the Bamana language, which is spoken primarily in Mali, West Africa. It is believed to have emerged around the 13th century during the Mali Empire.
Sango is derived from the Bamana word "sango," which means "wanderer" or "traveler." This likely refers to the nomadic nature of the ancient Bamana people who roamed the savanna regions of West Africa.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name Sango can be found in the epic poem "Sunjata," which chronicles the life of the founder of the Mali Empire, Sundiata Keita. In the poem, Sango is mentioned as a brave warrior who fought alongside Sundiata.
The first known individual with the name Sango was a 14th-century Malian king and military leader who ruled over the Bambara kingdom. He is credited with expanding the kingdom's territories and establishing trade routes with neighboring regions.
In the 16th century, a famous Bambara hunter and warrior named Sango became a legendary figure in West African folklore. He was renowned for his bravery and hunting skills, and many stories and songs were composed in his honor.
Another notable figure named Sango was a 17th-century Yoruba priest and leader from present-day Nigeria. He is revered in the Yoruba religion as the god of thunder and lightning, and his name is often invoked during rituals and ceremonies.
In the 18th century, a Malian scholar and philosopher named Sango Diarra gained recognition for his contributions to the study of Islamic law and jurisprudence. He authored several influential works that were widely read across West Africa.
During the 19th century, a prominent Malian military commander named Sango Dembele played a significant role in the resistance against French colonization. He led several successful campaigns against the French forces, earning him a reputation as a fearless warrior and leader.
People
Sango + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sango 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
Sango: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sango?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sango 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Sango a common name?
We classify Sango as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sango most popular?
The single biggest year for Sango was 2021, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sango is about 5 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Sango in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sango a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sango 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.
Is Sango still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sango in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Sango can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
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.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Sango?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.