Given name & surname
Santiago
“refers to Saint James”
Santiago is used as a given name and a surname. One Spanish interpretation is “refers to Saint James.” Its derivation is not certain.
Original Spanishซันเตีย̂โกฺ
Meaning & origin
What it means
One Spanish interpretation is “refers to Saint James.” Its derivation is not certain.
Where it comes from
A possible origin is Spanish, although the derivation remains uncertain.
How it developed
In Spanish usage, Santiago developed from Ἰάκωβος.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In Spanish use, Santiago is a form of James. The history of James gives this family its wider story. James was borne by two New Testament disciples: James son of Zebedee and James son of Alphaeus. James later became a recurring Scottish royal name: James VI of Scotland took the English throne in 1603. After James II lost that throne in 1688, his family’s supporters became known as Jacobites, drawing on the Latin form of James.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Santiago through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 103,965
- 103,828 boys · 137 girls
- Most popular year
- 2025
- 7,560 babies
- 2025
- 7,560
- #26 for boys · #14,642 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- +45%
- Rising
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 7,554 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 26 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 45.4% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. It also appeared in 6 birth records for girls in 2025. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (1,991). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 80,841 as a first name in 2020; 125,697 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.
Santiago’s family of names
In English usage, Santiago has a diminutive in Sandy. In Spanish usage, Santiago shares an earlier linguistic root with Jaime. Santiago is a form of James.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Santiago has relatives in 8 languages. Lines run from its Spanish roots to each of them.
Spanishwhere Santiago comes from · 4 names
Nicknames & forms 10
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Jaimevariant · Spanish
- Santidiminutive · Spanish
- Sandydiminutive · English
- Sandidiminutive · English
- Santigovariant
- Sandiediminutive · English
- Santiacovariant
- Santeagovariant
Show 2 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 47
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- YagoSpanish
- Jamesdoublet · English
- JacobEnglish
- Thiagoequivalent
- Tiagoequivalent
- Yakovequivalent
- Seamusequivalent
- JakobGerman
Show 39 moreShow fewer
- Jacquesequivalent
- Jacoboequivalent
- GiacomoItalian
- Jimequivalent
- JakubCzech
- Jaymeequivalent
- Jaymesequivalent
- DiogoPortuguese
- Yakubequivalent
- Iagodoublet · English
- Jacobusequivalent
- Jagodoublet · English
- Yaacovequivalent
- Jacoequivalent
- Yacobequivalent
- Jacopoequivalent
- Jakezequivalent
- Jokūbasequivalent
- يعقوبequivalent
- Jaakkoequivalent
- Jacóequivalent
- Yakupequivalent
- JakobusGerman
- Xacobeequivalent
- Яковequivalent
- Iacobusequivalent
- Jiminyequivalent
- Chaimeequivalent
- Dydakequivalent
- Séamusequivalent
- Jaccoequivalent
- Didacusequivalent
- Dídacequivalent
- Jaumeequivalent
- Xácomeequivalent
- יעקבequivalent
- IacopoItalian
- SantiaguAsturian
- Ἰάκωβοςroot · Ancient Greek
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Santiago
- Santiago Ramón y CajalSpanish scientist (1852-1934)
- Santiago CalatravaSpanish-Swiss engineer, architect, and artist (born 1951)
- Santiago BernabéuSpanish footballer (1895-1978)
- Santiago CañizaresSpanish footballerborn 1969
- Santiago SalcedoParaguayan association football playerborn 1981
- Santiago AriasColombian association football playerborn 1992
- Santiago PeñaPresident of Paraguay since 2023born 1978
- Santiago RusiñolCatalan author and painter; (1861-1931)
- Santiago GiménezMexican footballer (born 2001)
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Santiago, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Augustine
“one who is venerable; majestic” · “venerable; majestic”
94% boys · 6% girls
Josiah
“God heals” · “God will help”
>99% boys
Davo
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Davide
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Davydd
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Dawkin
“a spirited man” · “Beloved”
—
Davidde
“Beloved” · “darling”
>99% boys
Daveun
“the beloved one”
>99% boys