Meaning of the Name Savannah
While most people associate Savannah with the Georgia port city, it’s become a popular feminine given name. By studying its history and origins, I’ve found the meaning of the name Savannah.
Meaning of the Name Savannah:
Derived from the Spanish word sabana, the meaning of the name Savannah is “grassy plains,” “tropical grassland” or “lush grassland.”
Origins of the Name Savannah
The name Savannah originated in Spain where it was derived from the Spanish word sabana. Etymologists believe that sabana was derived from the Taino word zabana. It’s unknown when this occurred, but the word zabana was converted into the Spanish word sabana, after which sabana was converted into the feminine given name Savannah.
Some people assume that the given name Savannah originated from the Georgia city of Savannah, but most etymologists reject this theory. The city was actually named after the Savannah River. And the Savannah River was named after the Spanish word sabana. Regardless, it’s safe to say to that the Georgia city of Savannah helped popularize the given name Savannah.
Popularity of the Name Savannah
Savannah now ranks as one of the top 50 girls’ names in the United States, but it hasn’t always been this popular. In 1880, only 17 newborn girls were named Savannah, making it the country’s 418th most popular girls’ name during that year. In 1900, Savannah ranked as the 465th most popular girls’ name in the United States. In 1920, Savannah was even less popular, ranking as the 772nd most popular girls’ name in the country.
Savannah continued to trend downwards throughout the mid-20th century. In 1940, Savannah was the 1,130th most popular girls’ name in the United States. In 1950, it was the 1,375th most popular girls’ name in the country. In 1960, Savannah was the 2,713th most popular girls’ name in the United States.
It wasn’t until the early 1980s when Savannah began trending in the opposite direction. In 1983, Savanna was the 465th most popular girls’ name in the United States. The name Savannah peaked in 2006 and 2007 when it ranked as the 30th most popular girls’ name in the country.
Famous women named Savannah include American news anchor Savannah Guthrie, American actress Savannah Jayde, American singer and musician Savannah Grace, social media icon Savannah Gonzalez, American singer Savannah Outen, American fashion designer Savannah Miller, American actress Savannah Lathem, American singer and songwriter Savannah Snow and American actress Savannah Stevenson.