Santhiago
A Latin amalgamation of "Sanctus" meaning holy and "Iago" from James.
Name Census estimates that about 524 living Americans carry the first name Santhiago. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Santhiago today is around 7 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Santhiago births was 2023 (66 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Santhiago. 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
524
~ 1 in 654,111 Americans
Peak year
2023
66 babies that year
Average age
7
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,328
Tracked since 2009
Popularity
Santhiago: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Santhiago from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 267 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Santhiago 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 Santhiago during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Santhiagos live
The SSA's state-level files cover 5 states and territories. California, Texas, Illinois recorded the most babies named Santhiago, while New York, Florida, Illinois recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 52 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Santhiago
The name Santhiago is a variant spelling of the Spanish name Santiago, which is derived from the Latin name Sanctus Iacobus, meaning "Saint James." The name's roots can be traced back to the 1st century AD, when it was given to one of the Twelve Apostles, James the Greater, the son of Zebedee.
Santiago has been a popular name in Spain and other Spanish-speaking regions for centuries. It is believed to have originated in the region of Galicia, where the remains of St. James the Greater were said to be discovered in the 9th century. This led to the establishment of the famous pilgrimage route known as the Camino de Santiago, which attracted pilgrims from across Europe.
The name Santhiago is a variant spelling that likely emerged in regions where Spanish and Portuguese influences intermingled, such as parts of Latin America or the Caribbean. The "th" in the name may have been influenced by Portuguese pronunciation or other linguistic factors.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Santhiago can be found in the 16th century, when the Spanish explorer Santhiago de Guzmán led expeditions to the Americas. Another notable figure was Santhiago Ramírez, a 17th-century Mexican painter known for his religious works.
In the 19th century, Santhiago Vidaurri was a prominent Mexican general and politician who served as governor of several states. Around the same time, Santhiago Casilla was a Chilean naval officer and politician who played a role in the country's War of the Pacific.
Santhiago Carrillo, a 20th-century Mexican artist and muralist, was known for his vibrant depictions of indigenous culture and social themes. Another notable figure was Santhiago Álvarez, a Cuban lawyer and politician who served as president of the Cuban Revolutionary Party in the early 20th century.
While the variant spelling Santhiago is less common than Santiago, it has been used throughout history, often in regions with strong Spanish and Portuguese influences. The name's connection to St. James the Greater and its association with pilgrimage routes and religious traditions have contributed to its enduring popularity across various cultures.
People
Santhiago + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Santhiago 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
Santhiago: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Santhiago?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 524 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Santhiago 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 654,111 US residents.
Is Santhiago a common name?
We classify Santhiago as "Very Rare". It ranks above 85% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 528 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Santhiago most popular?
The single biggest year for Santhiago was 2023, when 66 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Santhiago is about 7 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 Santhiago in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Santhiago a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Santhiago 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 Santhiago still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Santhiago 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 Santhiago 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 many people are named Santhiago?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.