Girl · #15,899 in 2026

Senja

Senja (Norwegian) or Sážžá (Northern Sami) is an island in Senja Municipality in Troms county, Norway in northern Europe. With an area of 1,586.3 square kilometres (612.5 sq mi), it is the second largest island in Norway. It has a wild, mountainous outer (western) side facing the Atlantic, and a mild and lush inner (eastern) side.

  • Finnish
Current Rank
#15,899
Peak Rank
#15,152 (2006)
Total Babies
16
5-Yr Trend
Stable
1989
First Year
2017
Last Year
2006
Peak Year
#15152
Peak Rank
16
Total Count
3
Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Senja

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

Senja (Norwegian) or Sážžá (Northern Sami) is an island in Senja Municipality in Troms county, Norway in northern Europe. With an area of 1,586.3 square kilometres (612.5 sq mi), it is the second largest island in Norway. It has a wild, mountainous outer (western) side facing the Atlantic, and a mild and lush inner (eastern) side.

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

Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)

  • Finnish
Etymology
The Old Norse form of the name is believed to have been Senja or perhaps Sændja . The meaning of the name is unknown, but it might be related to the verb sundra , which means to "tear" or "split apart", possibly because the west coast of the island is torn and split by numerous small fjords. It might also be derived from a Proto-Norse form of the word Sandijōn , meaning "(area) of sand" or "sandy island". The Northern Sámi name Sážžá is likely a loanword from Norwegian, from an earlier form * Sanja- or * Sandjan .

The Story of Senja

American parents first put Senja on the record books as a baby girl name in 1989, with 5 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2006, when 6 Senjas were born — ranking #15,152 that year. About 38% of every Senja on record arrived during the 2000s, its defining decade. Senja last appeared in the published SSA data in 2017, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 16 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1980s to the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

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Names that sound like Senja

Phonetically similar names — useful when Senja 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 Senja

What does the name Senja mean?
Senja (Norwegian) or Sážžá (Northern Sami) is an island in Senja Municipality in Troms county, Norway in northern Europe. With an area of 1,586.3 square kilometres (612.5 sq mi), it is the second largest island in Norway. It has a wild, mountainous outer (western) side facing the Atlantic, and a mild and lush inner (eastern) side.
What is the origin of the name Senja?
Senja has roots in the following cultural and linguistic traditions: Finnish.
How popular is Senja in 2026?
In 2026, Senja ranks #15,899 among girls' names in the U.S., with 5 babies given the name that year.
When was Senja most popular?
Senja reached its peak popularity in 2006, ranking #15,152 that year with 6 babies given the name.
Is Senja a unisex name?
In U.S. Social Security records, Senja is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.
What names go well with Senja?
Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Senja include Kaui, Emese, Mariliz. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

Similar Names

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Kaui
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Emese
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Mariliz
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Isamari
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Jalyssia
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Jazamine
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Juhee
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About the name Senja

Senja is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1989 and has accumulated 16 births in the dataset. Senja's peak popularity came in 2006 when it ranked #15,152. Use the chart and map above to compare Senja'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.