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Santa

♀ Girl

Pronounced SAHN-tah /ˈsɑn.tɑ/Medium

Meaning: From Latin/Italian santa, 'holy; a (female) saint' (the feminine of Santo; a devotional name)Medium

In 30 seconds: Holy; a saint: Santa is Italian/Latin for 'holy; a female saint'. Devout, classic, and warm.

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Origin MediumLatin, Italian

MeaningFrom Latin/Italian santa, 'holy; a (female) saint' (the feminine of Santo; a devotional name)

U.S. rank (2025)#8267 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births13 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1923

Total births (all-time)≈ 4,370

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Santa comes from Latin/Italian santa, 'holy; a female saint' (the feminine of santo, from Latin sanctus, 'sacred, holy'). A devout, classic Italian and Spanish devotional name (as in place-names like Santa Maria; distinct from the festive Santa Claus, which derives from St Nicholas). Said 'SAHN-tah'.

In the U.S. it appears in Italian families. Rare, holy-and-a-saint at the root, and devout.

Did you know? Santa means 'holy; a female saint' in Latin and Italian (the feminine of Santo, from Latin sanctus) — a devout, classic Italian devotional name (distinct from the festive Santa Claus, which comes from St Nicholas).

Overall data confidence 70%

References — Santa — etymology

Variations

SantinaSantaSantos

Nicknames

Tina

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Santa…

Santos— the 'saints' Spanish name

Serafina— another devout Italian girls' name

Rita— a similarly popular pick

Marta— a similarly popular pick

Vita— a fellow Italian choice

Explore names like Santa

By themelatin italian devotional

By meaningGod / Divine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Santa mean?

Santa is Italian/Latin for 'holy; a female saint' (the feminine of Santo).

How do you pronounce Santa?

It's said SAHN-tah /ˈsɑn.tɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Santa a boy or girl name?

Santa is a girl's name.

How popular is Santa?

Santa is a rare name in the U.S.