Sarp
A masculine name of Persian origin meaning "snake" or "serpent".
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the first name Sarp. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sarp today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sarp births was 2017 (15 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sarp. 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 Sarp with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
112
~ 1 in 3,060,307 Americans
Peak year
2017
15 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#13,842
Tracked since 2004
Popularity
Sarp: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sarp 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 65 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 2010s peak, Sarp remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sarp 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 Sarp during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sarps live
Origin
Meaning and history of Sarp
The name Sarp has its origins in the Turkish language. It is believed to have derived from the Old Turkic word "sarp," which means "steep" or "rugged." This likely refers to the rugged and mountainous terrain found in parts of Turkey and Central Asia, where the name may have originated.
In Turkey, the name Sarp has been in use for centuries, with records dating back to the Ottoman Empire. It was a popular name among the ruling elite and military classes, perhaps reflecting the strength and resilience associated with its meaning.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sarp comes from the 13th century, when a Turkish ruler named Sarp Şah governed a region in modern-day Turkey. He was known for his military prowess and his efforts to defend his territories against invading forces.
In the 16th century, a famous Ottoman architect named Sarp Mimar Sinan designed and constructed some of the most iconic mosques and buildings in Istanbul, including the Süleymaniye Mosque and the Şehzade Mosque. His works are considered masterpieces of Ottoman architecture and are still admired today.
Another notable figure bearing the name Sarp was Sarp Kaplanoğlu, a 19th-century Ottoman statesman and diplomat. He played a crucial role in negotiating treaties and maintaining diplomatic relations between the Ottoman Empire and other nations.
In more recent times, Sarp Levendoğlu was a renowned Turkish actor and film director who lived from 1929 to 1995. He was known for his powerful performances and his contributions to Turkish cinema during the mid-20th century.
Sarp Akkaya, born in 1984, is a contemporary Turkish actor and model who has gained popularity for his roles in various television series and films. His rugged appearance and talent have earned him a loyal fan base in Turkey and beyond.
While the name Sarp has its roots in Turkish culture, it has also found its way into other languages and cultures over time, particularly in regions with historical ties to the Ottoman Empire or Central Asia. However, its origins and primary usage remain firmly rooted in the Turkish language and culture.
People
Sarp + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sarp 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
Sarp: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sarp?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 112 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sarp 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 3,060,307 US residents.
Is Sarp a common name?
We classify Sarp as "Very Rare". It ranks above 66.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 113 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sarp most popular?
The single biggest year for Sarp was 2017, when 15 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sarp is about 11 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 Sarp in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sarp a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sarp 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 Sarp still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sarp 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 Sarp 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 Americans are named Sarp?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.