Sequana
An indigenous Celtic name of uncertain meaning, possibly related to the Seine River.
Name Census estimates that about 46 living Americans carry the first name Sequana. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sequana today is around 44 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sequana births was 1987 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sequana. 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 Sequana. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
46
~ 1 in 7,451,181 Americans
Peak year
1987
7 babies that year
Average age
44
years old
1989 SSA rank
#14,070
Tracked since 1975
Popularity
Sequana: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sequana from the 1970s through to the 1980s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1980s, with 32 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
Sequana 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 Sequana 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 Sequana
The name Sequana has its roots in the ancient Celtic culture, originating from the Gaulish language spoken by the Celtic tribes of continental Europe during the Iron Age. It is derived from the name of the Gaulish river goddess Sequana, who was venerated in what is now eastern France.
The river Seine, which flows through Paris, was known as the Sequana to the Gauls. The name likely comes from the Proto-Celtic word *sego, meaning "strength" or "power," reflecting the river's importance to the ancient Celts. The name Sequana was also recorded in various Roman inscriptions and texts from the time of the Roman conquest of Gaul in the 1st century BC.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Sequana was a Gaulish woman mentioned in an inscription from the 1st century AD, found in the city of Langres in eastern France. This inscription, dedicated to the goddess Sequana, suggests that the name was in use as a personal name during this period.
In medieval times, the name Sequana appears to have fallen out of common usage, likely due to the decline of Celtic languages and the spread of Christianity. However, it resurfaced in the 19th century as an interest in Celtic culture and mythology grew.
A notable bearer of the name Sequana was the French author and poet Sequana Apolline (1890-1964), who wrote extensively on Celtic themes and was a member of the Breton literary movement. Another was the British archaeologist Sequana Marjorie Jones (1903-1988), who specialized in the study of ancient Celtic artifacts and settlements.
In more recent times, the name Sequana has been revived by parents seeking unique and meaningful names with a connection to Celtic heritage. Notable modern bearers include the French artist Sequana Dubois (born 1978) and the American writer Sequana Larkin (born 1982).
While not as common as some other Celtic names, Sequana has a rich history and cultural significance, reflecting the enduring influence of ancient Celtic mythology and the reverence for natural forces such as rivers.
People
Sequana + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sequana 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
Sequana: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sequana?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 46 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sequana 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 7,451,181 US residents.
Is Sequana a common name?
We classify Sequana as "Very Rare". It ranks above 53.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 49 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sequana most popular?
The single biggest year for Sequana was 1987, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sequana is about 44 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sequana a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sequana 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.