Santos
Santos is an Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Maltese surname with several variations. The English translation of Santos is Saints. A singular version, Santo, may occur. Its origin is Christian, from the Latin sanctus.
- Spanish
Meaning & Origin of Santos
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Santos is an Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Maltese surname with several variations. The English translation of Santos is Saints. A singular version, Santo, may occur. Its origin is Christian, from the Latin sanctus.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- Spanish
The Story of Santos
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Santos as a girl name dates back to 1885, when 9 babies received it. 1924 was its biggest year on record, with 100 newborns named Santos — #736 in the national rankings. The 1920s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 25% of all recorded Santoss. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2008 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 3K Santoss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Santos on the record books as a boy name in 1880, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 319 Santoss were born — ranking #803 that year. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #803 among boy names with 319 births, rising sharply (+32% over the past five years). In total, more than 19K Santoss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Santos
Phonetically similar names — useful when Santos 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 Santos
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In which U.S. states is Santos most popular?
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About the name Santos
Santos is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 19K births in the dataset. Santos's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #523. Use the chart and map above to compare Santos's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
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- 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.