Sauyer
A French masculine name possibly derived from the Latin word "salicem" meaning willow tree.
Name Census estimates that about 13 living Americans carry the first name Sauyer. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Sauyer today is around 8 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sauyer births was 2017 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sauyer. 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
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Sauyer. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
13
~ 1 in 26,365,718 Americans
Peak year
2017
7 babies that year
Average age
8
years old
2020 SSA rank
#11,773
Tracked since 2017
Popularity
Sauyer: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sauyer from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 7 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
Sauyer 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 Sauyer during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sauyer
The name Sauyer is believed to have originated from the Old French word "saunier," which means "salt worker" or "salt merchant." This suggests that the name has its roots in the occupation of salt production and trade, likely dating back to the Middle Ages or earlier.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Sauyer can be traced back to France, where it was commonly found in regions known for their salt production and trade, such as the coastal areas and regions near salt marshes or mines. The name may have initially been used as a surname before eventually becoming a given name.
While there are no definitive historical references to the name Sauyer in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it is possible that the name was in use among the working class and tradespeople during the medieval period, particularly in France.
One of the earliest known individuals with the name Sauyer was a French salt merchant named Pierre Sauyer, who lived in the 13th century. He was known for his involvement in the salt trade along the Atlantic coast of France.
Another notable figure with the name Sauyer was Jacques Sauyer, a French explorer who lived in the 16th century. He was part of an expedition that explored the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the surrounding regions in search of new salt deposits and trade routes.
In the 17th century, there was a French soldier named Louis Sauyer who fought in the Thirty Years' War. He was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.
During the 18th century, a French architect named Michel Sauyer gained recognition for his work on several notable buildings in Paris, including the Palais-Royal.
In the 19th century, a French writer and poet named Émile Sauyer gained popularity for his works that often explored themes of nature and the sea, perhaps reflecting his ancestors' connection to the salt trade.
It's important to note that while these are examples of individuals with the name Sauyer throughout history, the name's origin and usage may have varied across different regions and cultures, and its popularity has likely fluctuated over time.
People
Sauyer + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sauyer 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
Sauyer: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sauyer?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 13 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sauyer 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 26,365,718 US residents.
Is Sauyer a common name?
We classify Sauyer as "Very Rare". It ranks above 33.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 13 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sauyer most popular?
The single biggest year for Sauyer was 2017, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sauyer is about 8 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 Sauyer in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sauyer a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sauyer 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 Sauyer still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sauyer 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 Sauyer 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 have Sauyer as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the name Sauyer on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.