How Many People Are Named San?
An estimated 1,922 people in the United States have the first name San. It is used for both genders, with 75.1% female. The average bearer is 53 years old, and San peaked in popularity in 1950 with 74 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of San as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name San paired with any surname.
Estimated Living Americans
1,922
About 1 in 178,332 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
75.1% confidence
Average Age
53
years old
Peak Year
1950
74 births
Total Registered
2,489
since 1880
Gender Distribution for San
San is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (24.9%) and females (75.1%). Out of 2,489 total births registered, 621 were male and 1,868 were female.
San as a male name
Ranked #12,059 in 2024
6 male births in 2024
Peak: 1984 (23 births)
San as a female name
Ranked #17,204 in 2024
5 female births in 2024
Peak: 1950 (66 births)
San in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 4,389 people with the first name San, which placed it at #4,316 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, San was recorded as predominantly male. Out of 4,389 people with this name in that snapshot, 50.8% were male and 49.2% were female. That is less heavily male than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 75.1% female.
Census Count
4,389
people with this name
Census Rank
#4,316
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
1.45
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name San was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Asian and Pacific Islander (69.88%). The next largest recorded groups were Hispanic (14.76%) and White (9.30%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name San in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name San.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 69.88% | 3,067 |
| Hispanic | 14.76% | 648 |
| White | 9.30% | 408 |
| Black | 4.60% | 202 |
| Two or More Races | 1.32% | 58 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.14% | 6 |
San: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for San span from the 1910s to the 2020s, covering 12 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 1960s, when 533 babies were registered. San has declined significantly from its peak in the 1960s. Recent registrations are a fraction of what they were at the name's height.
San by Decade
How has San tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
San by State
San + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with San as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to San
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
San: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named San?
We estimate approximately 1,922 people named San are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 178,332 Americans share this first name.
Is San a common name?
San is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 93.6% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 2,489 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was San most popular?
San reached peak popularity in 1950, when 74 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named San is approximately 53 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was San in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 4,389 people with the first name San. That placed it at #4,316 in the published Census first-name tables, or 1.45 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often San was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for San?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, San was recorded as predominantly male. The published split was 50.8% male and 49.2% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named San?
In the 2020 Census, the first name San was most commonly recorded among people who identified as Asian and Pacific Islander (69.88%). The next largest recorded groups were Hispanic (14.76%) and White (9.30%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is San a female name?
San is predominantly female. 75.1% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can San have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. San peaked in 1950, and the average living bearer is about 53 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many San Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: San Smith, San Johnson, San Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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