Find out how popular the first name Sanjuanita has been for the last 40 years (from 1974 to 2013) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Sanjuanita by gender

Based on the last 40 years of data, Sanjuanita is exclusively a female name.

For the most recent data in 2013, there were 6 female babies and 0 male babies born with the name Sanjuanita.

The history of the first name Sanjuanita

Sanjuanita is a feminine given name with Spanish origins, derived from the phrase "San Juan," meaning "St. John" in English. The name likely emerged during the Spanish Golden Age, which spanned the 16th and 17th centuries, when the veneration of saints and their names was widespread in Catholic Spain and its colonies.

The name Sanjuanita can be traced back to the Spanish diminutive form "Juanita," which itself is a derivative of the name Juan, the Spanish equivalent of John. The addition of "San" (meaning "Saint") to "Juanita" creates the more formal and reverent version, Sanjuanita, likely bestowed upon newborn girls in honor of St. John the Baptist or St. John the Evangelist.

While the name's origins are rooted in Spain, it has been widely adopted throughout Latin America, particularly in regions with a strong Spanish colonial influence, such as Mexico, Central America, and parts of South America. Historical records indicate that the name was commonly used among Spanish settlers and their descendants in these regions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sanjuanita can be found in the 16th-century Spanish novel "La Celestina" by Fernando de Rojas, where a minor character bears this name. Another notable early reference is Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1648-1695), a Mexican nun and renowned poet of the Baroque period, who was baptized as Juana Inés de Asbaje y Ramírez de Santillana.

Throughout history, several notable women have borne the name Sanjuanita, including Sanjuanita Longoria (1892-1988), a Mexican-American activist and educator who played a pivotal role in the desegregation of public schools in Texas; Sanjuanita García (1918-2010), a Cuban-American educator and civil rights activist; and Sanjuanita Rodríguez (1922-2012), a Venezuelan actress and singer known for her work in Mexican cinema.

Additionally, there are records of Sanjuanita María Mendoza (1848-1893), a Mexican author and educator who advocated for women's rights and education, and Sanjuanita Cortés (1817-1892), a Cuban revolutionary and abolitionist who fought against slavery and Spanish colonial rule.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Sanjuanita was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sanjuanita, please contact us.

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