Saphir
A feminine name of Persian origin meaning "sapphire" or "blue stone".
Name Census estimates that about 10 living Americans carry the first name Saphir. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 50.0% of registrations being female. The average person named Saphir today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Saphir births was 2022 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Saphir. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Saphir with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Saphir. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
10
~ 1 in 34,275,434 Americans
Peak year
2022
5 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2023 SSA rank
#13,818
Tracked since 2022
Gender
Gender distribution for Saphir
Saphir is one of the more evenly split names in the SSA data. Of the 10 total registrations, 5 (50.0%) were male and 5 (50.0%) were female.
Saphir as a male name
- Ranked #13,818 in 2023
- 5 male births in 2023
- Peak: 2023 (5 births)
Saphir as a female name
- Ranked #17,342 in 2022
- 5 female births in 2022
- Peak: 2022 (5 births)
Popularity
Saphir: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Saphir 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 Saphir 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 | 5 | 10 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Saphir
The name Saphir is derived from the French word "saphir" which means "sapphire." This gemstone has been prized for its vibrant blue hue since ancient times. The name has its roots in the Greek word "sappheiros" which can be traced back to the Hebrew word "sappir" and the Sanskrit word "sauriram."
Historically, the name Saphir has been associated with wealth, royalty, and nobility due to the rarity and value of the sapphire stone. In ancient times, sapphires were believed to possess mystical powers and were often worn by kings and rulers as a symbol of their authority.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Saphir can be found in the Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible, where it is mentioned as one of the precious stones adorning the breastplate of the High Priest. However, it is unclear if this reference was specifically to the name Saphir or to the gemstone itself.
In terms of notable individuals throughout history, one of the earliest known bearers of the name Saphir was Saphir ibn al-Asad (1165-1242), a renowned Arabic poet and scholar from Andalusia, Spain. His poetry and literary works played a significant role in shaping the cultural landscape of his time.
Another notable figure was Saphir ben Jacob (1822-1886), a German-Jewish writer and satirist who was known for his witty and satirical works. He was a prominent figure in the literary circles of his time and his works often addressed social and political issues.
In the 20th century, Saphir Amar (1920-2007) was a prominent Tunisian artist and sculptor. Her works, often inspired by traditional Tunisian art and culture, gained international recognition and are displayed in museums around the world.
Saphir Jamel (1937-2020) was a renowned Algerian writer and playwright. His works explored themes of identity, colonialism, and the struggle for independence in Algeria. He was awarded numerous literary honors and his plays were widely performed in Algeria and beyond.
Saphir Sliti (born 1957) is a Tunisian film director and screenwriter. Her films have tackled societal issues and have been recognized at various international film festivals, earning her critical acclaim.
These are just a few examples of notable individuals throughout history who have borne the name Saphir, reflecting its diverse cultural and historical roots.
People
Saphir + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Saphir 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
Saphir: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Saphir?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 10 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Saphir 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 34,275,434 US residents.
Is Saphir a common name?
We classify Saphir as "Very Rare". It ranks above 28.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 10 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Saphir most popular?
The single biggest year for Saphir was 2022, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Saphir is about 4 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 Saphir in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Saphir a female name?
Yes, 50.0% of people registered as Saphir in the SSA data are female. 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 Saphir still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Saphir 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 Saphir 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 share the name Saphir?
Want to know how many people have the name Saphir? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.