Saphira
A feminine name derived from the Greek word "sappheiros" meaning sapphire, a precious blue gemstone.
Name Census estimates that about 2,212 living Americans carry the first name Saphira. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Saphira today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Saphira births was 2008 (145 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Saphira. 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
- • Saphira is a relatively new arrival in the SSA data. The average bearer is just 11 years old, meaning it gained most of its traction in the last two decades.
People living today
2.2K
~ 1 in 154,952 Americans
Peak year
2008
145 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#1,667
Tracked since 1996
Popularity
Saphira: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Saphira from the 1990s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 1,219 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Saphira remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Saphira 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 Saphira during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Saphiras live
The SSA's state-level files cover 26 states and territories. Texas, Florida, California recorded the most babies named Saphira, while Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 37 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Saphira
The name Saphira is believed to have its origins in the ancient Hebrew language. It is derived from the Hebrew word "saphir," which means "sapphire" or "precious stone." The name is thought to have been in use as early as the 5th century BCE in ancient Israel and the Middle East.
In the Old Testament of the Bible, the Book of Exodus makes reference to the sapphire stone, which was used in the construction of the Tabernacle and the breastplate of the High Priest. This biblical connection may have contributed to the name's popularity among ancient Hebrew communities.
One of the earliest recorded uses of the name Saphira can be found in the New Testament book of Acts, where a woman named Saphira is mentioned alongside her husband, Ananias. According to the biblical account, Saphira and Ananias were struck dead for lying to the Apostles about their financial contributions to the early Christian church.
Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals named Saphira. In the 12th century, Saphira ben Jacob was a renowned Jewish philosopher and scholar from Andalusia, in present-day Spain. Her writings on metaphysics and theology were widely influential during her lifetime.
During the Renaissance period, Saphira Arnault was a French poet and playwright born in 1540. She was known for her works exploring themes of love, nature, and the human condition. Her poetry collection, "Les Fleurs du Printemps," published in 1578, was widely acclaimed in literary circles of the time.
In the 19th century, Saphira Mirza was a prominent Indian social reformer and advocate for women's education. Born in 1828 in Calcutta (now Kolkata), she established several schools for girls and worked tirelessly to promote literacy and empowerment for women in India.
Another notable Saphira was Saphira Amira, a Lebanese-American artist and sculptor born in 1901 in Beirut. Her works, which often depicted scenes from Middle Eastern life and culture, were exhibited in galleries across Europe and the United States during the early to mid-20th century.
In more recent times, Saphira Vitória was a Brazilian singer and songwriter born in 1945. She rose to prominence in the 1970s with her unique blend of traditional Brazilian music and contemporary pop styles. Her album "Saudade" (1978) remains a beloved classic in Brazilian music.
People
Saphira + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Saphira 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
Saphira: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Saphira?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 2,212 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Saphira 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 154,952 US residents.
Is Saphira a common name?
We classify Saphira as "Rare". It ranks above 94.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 2,230 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Saphira most popular?
The single biggest year for Saphira was 2008, when 145 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Saphira is about 11 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Saphira a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Saphira 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.
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.