Safari
A safari is an overland journey to observe or hunt wild animals, especially in East Africa. The so-called "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo – particularly form an important part of the safari market, both for wildlife viewing and big-game hunting.
Meaning & Origin of Safari
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
A safari is an overland journey to observe or hunt wild animals, especially in East Africa. The so-called "Big Five" game animals of Africa – lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant, and Cape buffalo – particularly form an important part of the safari market, both for wildlife viewing and big-game hunting.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
Origin & history
The Story of Safari
As a girl name
Safari first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1992, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2022, when 27 Safaris were born — ranking #4,903 that year. As of 2026, Safari ranks #6,688 for girls with 17 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). In total, more than 388 Safaris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1990s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Safari first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2014, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2023, when 24 Safaris were born — ranking #4,342 that year. As of 2026, Safari ranks #5,554 for boys with 17 births, rising sharply (+39% over the past five years). In total, more than 163 Safaris have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 2010s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Safari
Phonetically similar names — useful when Safari is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Safari
What does the name Safari mean?
How popular is Safari in 2026?
When was Safari most popular?
In which U.S. states is Safari most popular?
Is Safari a unisex name?
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About the name Safari
Safari is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1992 and has accumulated 388 births in the dataset. Safari's peak popularity came in 2022 when it ranked #4,903. Use the chart and map above to compare Safari's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2022 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.