Sani
Sani is a given name. Notable people with the name include:Sani Abacha (1943–1998), Nigerian military officer and politician Sani Ahmed, Nigerian basketball coach Sani Ibrahim Azar, Palestinian Lutheran bishop Sani Bečirovič, Slovenian basketball player and coach Sani Bello, Nigerian political leader and military administrator Sani Dangote, Nigerian businessperson Sani Daura, Nigerian Federal…
- Arabic
- Hausa
Meaning & Origin of Sani
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sani is a given name. Notable people with the name include:Sani Abacha (1943–1998), Nigerian military officer and politician Sani Ahmed, Nigerian basketball coach Sani Ibrahim Azar, Palestinian Lutheran bishop Sani Bečirovič, Slovenian basketball player and coach Sani Bello, Nigerian political leader and military administrator Sani Dangote, Nigerian businessperson Sani Daura, Nigerian Federal…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Arabic
- Hausa
The Story of Sani
As a girl name
American parents first put Sani on the record books as a girl name in 2002, with 11 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2007, when 32 Sanis were born — ranking #4,566 that year. About 45% of every Sani on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Sani ranks #9,451 for girls with 8 births, falling sharply (-26%). All told, over 399 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Sani first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2000, with 8 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2024: 14 births, good for #6,171 nationwide. About 43% of every Sani on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. Sani last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 14 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 120 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Sani
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sani 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 Sani
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Is Sani a unisex name?
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About the name Sani
Sani is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2002 and has accumulated 399 births in the dataset. Sani's peak popularity came in 2007 when it ranked #4,566. Use the chart and map above to compare Sani's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2007 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- 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.