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Santana

♀ Girl

Pronounced san-TAN-uh /sæn.ˈtæn.ə/Medium

Meaning: Holy, saintlyMedium

In 30 seconds: Santana is a Spanish name, used here for a girl, meaning 'holy' or saintly. It grew out of a contraction of Santa Ana, Saint Anne.

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Origin MediumSpanish, English, Portuguese

MeaningHoly, saintly

U.S. rank (2025)#2060 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births92 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1985

Total births (all-time)≈ 5,941

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

Santana comes from Spanish and is tied to the idea of holiness, originating as a run-together form of Santa Ana, meaning Saint Anne. It moved from a devotional surname into use as a given name. The meaning 'holy, saintly' reflects that religious root.

The three open syllables give it a warm, rhythmic flow. The wrestler Santana Garrett, born in 1988, is a recorded bearer.

Did you know? Santana likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Santana — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Santana Garrett (1988–present)
Female public figure listed on Behind the Name.

If you like Santana…

Ana— The Saint Anne element folded into Santana, sharing its devotional core.

Santos— A Spanish name from the same root for 'saints,' a close relative in sense.

Anna— The fuller form of the Ana that gives Santana its Saint Anne origin.

Sarina— a similarly popular pick

Siana— another modern pick

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Santana mean?

Santana is usually explained as meaning 'holy, saintly' and is most often linked with Spanish tradition.

How do you pronounce Santana?

It's commonly said san-TAN-uh /sæn.ˈtæn.ə/.

Is Santana a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Santana is used as a girl name.

How popular is Santana?

In 2024, Santana ranked #1872 in the U.S. for girls, with 107 births recorded.