Girl · #5,196 in 2026

Saffron

Name: Popularity of the name Saffron in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Saffron, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the "saffron crocus". The vivid crimson stigma and styles, called threads, are collected and dried for use mainly as a seasoning and colouring agent in food. Saffron crocus was slowly propagated throughout much of Eurasia and later brought to parts of North Africa, North America, and Oceania.

English

Current Rank

#5,196

Peak Rank

#3,886 (2006)

Total Babies

758

5-Yr Trend

+3%

1974

First Year

2026

Last Year

2006

Peak Year

#3886

Peak Rank

758

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Saffron

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

English

Etymology

Further information: History of saffron The English word saffron is a borrowing from French, first found in a Middle English text written around 1200 as saffran . It derives from the 12th-century Old French term safran , which comes from the Medieval Latin word safranum , and from the Persian (زعفران, Zaferan ). which itself originated from an older Persian word “زرپران, Zarparan” meaning “gold-strung” a reference to the flower’s golden filaments or the rich golden hue it imparts as a spice.

Origin & history

Main article: History of saffron A detail from the "Saffron Gatherers" fresco of the "Xeste 3" building in the Bronze Age settlement of Akrotiri on the Aegean island of Santorini. It is one of many depicting saffron preserved at the excavation site Saffron likely originated in Iran, Greece, Mesopotamia, or Kashmir. Harold McGee states that it was domesticated in or near Greece during the Bronze Age. C. sativus is probably a triploid form of Crocus cartwrightianus , which is also known as "wild saffron". Saffron crocus was slowly propagated by humans throughout much of Eurasia and was later bro

The Story of Saffron

The earliest SSA record of Saffron as a baby girl name dates back to 1974, when 5 babies received it. 2006 was its biggest year on record, with 36 newborns named Saffron — #4,073 in the national rankings. About 34% of every Saffron on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Saffron ranks #5,196 for baby girls with 25 births, holding steady (+3%). All told, over 758 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1970s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Saffron

Phonetically similar names — useful when Saffron is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Safron
Safran
Saffran
Safra
Shafran
Suffering
Cyphering
Ciphering
Syphering
Siren
Soften
Sovereign

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Saffron

What does the name Saffron mean?

What is the origin of the name Saffron?

Saffron has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: English.

How popular is Saffron in 2026?

In 2026, Saffron ranks #5,196 among girls' names in the U.S., with 25 babies given the name that year.

When was Saffron most popular?

Saffron reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #3,886 that year with 36 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Saffron most popular?

Saffron has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Saffron.

Is Saffron a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Saffron is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Saffron?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Saffron include Cerina, Deyonna, Jewelia. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Saffron

Saffron is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1974 and has accumulated 758 births in the dataset. Saffron's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #3,886. Use the chart and map above to compare Saffron's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

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.