Savva
A masculine Russian given name derived from the Hebrew name Savva.
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the first name Savva. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Savva today is around 11 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Savva births was 2012 (12 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Savva. 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 Savva with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
128
~ 1 in 2,677,768 Americans
Peak year
2012
12 babies that year
Average age
11
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,692
Tracked since 2007
Popularity
Savva: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Savva 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 96 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Savva 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 Savva 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 Savva
The given name Savva has its origins in the Greek language, deriving from the ancient biblical name Sabbas or Sabas. It is a name deeply rooted in the early Christian tradition and has been in use for several centuries.
During the Byzantine era, the name Savva gained widespread popularity, particularly among Greek Orthodox Christians. It is believed to be derived from the Aramaic word "sabbā," meaning "old man" or "venerable." This connection suggests that the name was initially associated with wisdom, reverence, and respect for elders.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Savva can be found in the life of Saint Sabbas the Sanctified, a prominent figure in the Eastern Orthodox Church. Born in the 5th century in Cappadocia (modern-day Turkey), he is renowned for his ascetic lifestyle and his founding of the iconic Monasteries of St. Sabbas near Bethlehem.
Throughout the centuries, the name Savva has been borne by various notable individuals, both within the religious sphere and beyond. One of the most famous bearers of this name was Savva Lukič Vladislavić-Raguzinsky, a Serbian diplomat and writer who lived from 1668 to 1738. He played a crucial role in negotiating the Treaty of Passarowitz between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy Roman Empire.
Another prominent figure with the name Savva was Savva Mamontov, a Russian industrialist and patron of the arts, who lived from 1841 to 1918. He is remembered for his support of the Russian avant-garde movement and for commissioning works from composers such as Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Modest Mussorgsky.
In the realm of literature, Savva Kulish, a Ukrainian writer and ethnographer from the 19th century (1819-1897), made significant contributions to the development of Ukrainian literature and the preservation of folk traditions.
The name Savva has also been carried by religious leaders, such as Savva Vasilyevich Yavorskyy, a prominent Ukrainian Orthodox bishop and theologian who lived from 1658 to 1737. He played a crucial role in the establishment of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, a renowned educational institution in Ukraine.
These are just a few examples of the historical figures who have borne the name Savva, demonstrating its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods. While its origins can be traced back to the ancient Greek and early Christian traditions, the name has transcended its religious connotations and has been embraced by individuals from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.
People
Savva + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Savva 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
Savva: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Savva?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 128 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Savva 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 2,677,768 US residents.
Is Savva a common name?
We classify Savva as "Very Rare". It ranks above 68.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 129 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Savva most popular?
The single biggest year for Savva was 2012, when 12 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Savva 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 Savva in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Savva a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Savva 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 Savva still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Savva 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 Savva 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 Savva as a first name?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Savva on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.