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Name Lineage

    The first name Sanya

    A girl’s name from Russian.

    2 syllables Female

    Meaning and origin

    Russian origin

    Transliteration of Russian Са́ня (Sánja), diminutive of Алекса́ндра (Aleksándra) and Алекса́ндр (Aleksándr). In some cases possibly from Serbo-Croatian Сања and Sanja.

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    Sanya last appeared in the official list in 2024, given to 4 girls. It peaked in 2000, with 26 births (#852).

    01530 1996200020052010201520202025
    324
    babies named Sanya, 1996–2025
    #4,843
    rank in 2024
    2000
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Sanya with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Sanya at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 18 girls born in the United States were named Sanya, the 6,512th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 2007, when 108 were.

    0100200 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    1,941
    babies named Sanya since 1880
    #6,512
    rank in 2025
    2007
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Nicknames and spellings

    Other spellings and forms

    • San-ya
    • Samah
    • Sama
    • Saamaa
    • Saam-aa
    • Sam-a
    • Taa
    • Ta-a

    Famous people named Sanya

    1 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Sanya Lopez
      Filipino actress, born 1996

    More Russian girls’ names

    All 42 names of Russian origin

    Questions

    What does the name Sanya mean?
    Transliteration of Russian Са́ня (Sánja), diminutive of Алекса́ндра (Aleksándra) and Алекса́ндр (Aleksándr). In some cases possibly from Serbo-Croatian Сања and Sanja.
    What is the origin of the name Sanya?
    Transliteration of Russian Са́ня (Sánja), diminutive of Алекса́ндра (Aleksándra) and Алекса́ндр (Aleksándr). In some cases possibly from Serbo-Croatian Сања and Sanja.
    How popular is the name Sanya?
    In 2024, 4 girls born in England and Wales were named Sanya, ranking 4,843rd. Its peak was 2000, with 26 births.
    Is Sanya a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 1,941 US babies named Sanya since 1880 were girls.
    When was Sanya most popular?
    2007 in the United States, when 108 babies were named Sanya, its highest rank at 1,924th.
    What are other spellings of Sanya?
    San-ya, Samah, Sama, Saamaa, Saam-aa and Sam-a.