Given name & surname · also Persian
Sana
“one who emanates light”·“brilliance; splendor”
Sana is used as a given name and a surname. Interpretations include “one who emanates light” and “brilliance; splendor”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Meaning & origin
What it means
Interpretations include “one who emanates light” and “brilliance; splendor”. These belong to different or overlapping naming contexts.
Where it comes from
This spelling has been associated with Persian and Arabic naming traditions.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1923. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Sana through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 4,878
- 5 boys · 4,873 girls
- Most popular year
- 2022
- 180 babies
- 2025
- 151
- #1,434 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +21%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 151 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,434 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 20.6% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (41). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 8,257 as a first name in 2020; 851 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Sana’s family of names
Sana has a related form in Sanna. Sana has a related form in Sanah. Sana has a related form in Sanaah.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 3
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Sana
- Sana Na N'HadaBissau-Guinean film directorborn 1950
- Sana JavedPakistani actress and modelborn 1993
- Sana AmanatAmerican comic book editor and producerborn 1982
- Sana AkroudMoroccan actressborn 1980
- Sana MouzianeMorocco singerborn 1980
- Sana Ben AchourTunisian academic, jurist and activistborn 1955
- Sana MakbulIndian model and actressborn 1993
- Sana TakedaJapanese illustratorborn 1977
- Sana ChebliTunisian association football player
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Sana, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Safiya
“one who is pure” · “having the lion's share”
>99% girls
Marwa
Marwa is a feminine given name from Arabic.
>99% girls
Amina
“honest; trustworthy; faithful” · “faithful, trustworthy”
>99% girls
Alina
“illustrious” · “one who is noble”
>99% girls
Zara
“princess”
>99% girls
Macarena
“blessed, happy”
>99% girls
Adhara
>99% girls
Alaia
“one who is majestic, of high worth” · “joy”
>99% girls