Santiago
Santiago is a masculine Spanish name that derives from the Hebrew name Jacob (Ya'akov) via "Sant Iago", "Sant Yago", "Santo Iago", or "Santo Yago", first used to denote Saint James the Great, the brother of John the Apostle. It is traditionally believed that Saint James (Santiago) had travelled to the Iberian Peninsula during his life and was buried there.
Meaning & Origin of Santiago
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Santiago is a masculine Spanish name that derives from the Hebrew name Jacob (Ya'akov) via "Sant Iago", "Sant Yago", "Santo Iago", or "Santo Yago", first used to denote Saint James the Great, the brother of John the Apostle. It is traditionally believed that Saint James (Santiago) had travelled to the Iberian Peninsula during his life and was buried there.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Santiago
Santiago first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 12 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 7,841 Santiagos were born — ranking #24 that year. As of 2026, Santiago ranks #24 for baby boys with 7,841 births, rising sharply (+48% over the past five years). In total, more than 112K Santiagos have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Santiago
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Santiago, a Quechan or Yuma chief in the early 1850s
- Santiago Abascal , Spanish politician, president of the Vox party
- Santiago Amador , Colombian road cyclist
- Santiago Amodeo , film director and screenwriter
- Santiago Bernabéu , former Real Madrid president Santiago Bernabéu Stadium , the stadium of Real Madrid , named after Santiago Bernabéu Yeste
- Santiago Botero , Colombian cyclist
- Santiago Bueno , Uruguayan footballer
- Santiago Cabrera , Chilean actor
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Santiago
Phonetically similar names — useful when Santiago 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 Santiago
What does the name Santiago mean?
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About the name Santiago
Santiago is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 112K births in the dataset. Santiago's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #24. Use the chart and map above to compare Santiago's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
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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.