Seraphin
Of Hebrew origin, meaning "the burning ones" or "fiery seraphim".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Seraphin. It appears on both sides of the gender split, with 80.8% of registrations being male. The average person named Seraphin today is around 29 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Seraphin births was 1919 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Seraphin. 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 Seraphin. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
1919
6 babies that year
Average age
29
years old
1923 SSA rank
#4,795
Tracked since 1916
Gender
Gender distribution for Seraphin
Seraphin leans heavily male at 80.8% of total registrations, but 5 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Seraphin as a male name
- Ranked #4,795 in 1923
- 5 male births in 1923
- Peak: 1919 (6 births)
Seraphin as a female name
- Ranked #19,535 in 2006
- 5 female births in 2006
- Peak: 2006 (5 births)
Popularity
Seraphin: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Seraphin from the 1910s through to the 2000s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1910s, with 11 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1910s peak, Seraphin remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Seraphin 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 Seraphin 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 Seraphin
The name Seraphin has its origins in the Greek language, derived from the word "seraphim," which refers to an order of celestial beings in the Abrahamic religions. The name gained prominence during the early Christian era, particularly in regions where Greek culture and Orthodox Christianity had a significant influence.
In Hebrew scriptures, the term "seraphim" is used to describe a class of angelic beings mentioned in the Book of Isaiah. These celestial beings were depicted as having six wings and were known for their unwavering devotion to God. The name Seraphin, therefore, carried connotations of purity, holiness, and divine reverence.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Seraphin can be found in the writings of Saint Jerome, a renowned Christian scholar and translator who lived in the 4th and 5th centuries. He mentioned a figure named Seraphin in his work, though little is known about the individual's background or significance.
Throughout history, several notable figures have borne the name Seraphin. One prominent individual was Seraphin of Montegranaro (1540-1604), an Italian Capuchin friar renowned for his piety and miraculous healing abilities. He was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church in 1767.
Another notable bearer of the name was Seraphin Mounji (1609-1687), a Lebanese Maronite monk and philosopher who made significant contributions to the fields of theology and metaphysics. His works, written in Arabic, explored the relationship between faith and reason and were widely influential in the Middle East.
In the realm of literature, Seraphin Forro (1858-1937) was a prominent Finnish author and poet who wrote extensively in the Swedish language. His works often explored themes of nature, spirituality, and the human condition, earning him a respected place in the literary canon of Finnish-Swedish literature.
Seraphin Louis Ingenbleek (1811-1868) was a Dutch Catholic priest and educator who played a pivotal role in establishing Catholic education in the Netherlands. He founded several schools and institutions, leaving a lasting impact on the country's educational landscape.
Lastly, Seraphin Govi (1852-1936) was an Italian engineer and academic who made significant contributions to the field of mechanics. He served as a professor at the University of Turin and authored numerous influential works on mechanical engineering and applied physics.
These examples illustrate the diverse backgrounds and accomplishments of individuals who have carried the name Seraphin throughout history, reflecting its enduring connection to themes of spirituality, intellect, and service.
People
Seraphin + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Seraphin 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
Seraphin: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Seraphin?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Seraphin 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 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Seraphin a common name?
We classify Seraphin as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 26 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Seraphin most popular?
The single biggest year for Seraphin was 1919, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Seraphin is about 29 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Seraphin a male name?
Yes, 80.8% of people registered as Seraphin 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.
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.