Santiago
Boy name · #26 in 2025 · Very well-known
How old is the name Santiago? In official American birth records, Santiago has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Santiago is currently the #26 boy name in the United States — 7,554 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #127, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 238 boys born in 2025 was named Santiago.
Babies named Santiago per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Santiago first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 7,554 babies and a rank of #26. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Santiago against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Santiago in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Santiago is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very well-known". A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Santiago is most common
Geography matters for names, and Santiago is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Santiago is most common in NV (12 per 1,000), CA (11 per 1,000), AZ (11 per 1,000), NM (11 per 1,000), TX (10 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 5.2 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Santiago is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Santiago
Statistically, parents drawn to Santiago tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Thiago, Bennett, Cooper, Emiliano, and Hudson.
ThiagoBennettCooperEmilianoHudsonAsherSebastianLeo
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Santiago | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7,554 | #26 |
| 2024 | 7,434 | #29 |
| 2023 | 6,358 | #45 |
| 2022 | 6,036 | #49 |
| 2021 | 5,076 | #63 |
| 2020 | 4,687 | #71 |
| 2019 | 5,047 | #70 |
| 2018 | 4,670 | #82 |
| 2017 | 4,204 | #93 |
| 2016 | 3,719 | #106 |
| 2015 | 3,219 | #127 |
| 2014 | 3,426 | #116 |
| 2013 | 3,032 | #126 |
| 2012 | 3,050 | #122 |
| 2011 | 3,070 | #131 |
| 2010 | 3,012 | #134 |
| 2009 | 3,126 | #130 |
| 2008 | 2,340 | #171 |
| 2007 | 1,968 | #200 |
| 2006 | 1,552 | #232 |
| 2005 | 1,205 | #278 |
| 2004 | 1,089 | #292 |
| 2003 | 928 | #319 |
| 2002 | 863 | #321 |
| 2001 | 803 | #342 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Santiago?
In official American birth records, the name Santiago first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 12 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Santiago a popular boy name?
Santiago ranked #26 among boys in 2025 with 7,554 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #127.
When was the name Santiago most popular?
Santiago peaked in 2025, when 7,554 American boys received the name (ranked #26 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Santiago?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 238 newborn American boys was named Santiago. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very well-known".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.