Sansa
A girl's name of Sanskrit origin with 244 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
a surname
Sansa is a girl's baby name of Sanskrit origin, from the Sanskrit śaṃsa, meaning 'praise' or 'charm, wish' — also globally recognized as the name of Sansa Stark from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series and the HBO series Game of Thrones.
With over 244 recorded births, Sansa is most associated with Sophie Turner's portrayal of Sansa Stark in Game of Thrones (2011–2019) — a character whose journey from naive girl to politically astute Lady of Winterfell made her one of the series' most compelling arcs. Martin invented the name drawing on the Sanskrit word for praise or charm. As a given name, it carries both the Sanskrit meaning of praise and the fictional character's arc of resilience and growth.
EtymologyShow more
Phonetically, Sansa belongs to a cluster of names characterized by their open, warm ending — a soft ending that crosses many language boundaries. At two syllables, it has a two-beat rhythm that is easy to call across a room and natural in conversation.
Within the Sanskrit naming tradition, names with similar sound structures often share underlying etymological patterns. Exploring Sanskrit names on this site may surface connections that illuminate Sansa’s linguistic neighborhood.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Sansa has 12+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 2013.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 97 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 147 | — |
The Story of Sansa
A Gen Alpha name
Peaking in 2018, Sansa is a fresh, modern favorite. Girls named Sansa are most likely born between 2013 and 2024.
How rare is Sansa?
Only about 1 in every 240,000 babies born in 2024 was named Sansa — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 2013, peaked in the 2010s with 147 births that decade, and remains solidly popular today.
Sansa by the numbers
- Would fill 5 school buses
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(12 years, 2013–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 15 | #7508 |
| 2023 | 20 | #6121 |
| 2022 | 16 | #7241 |
| 2021 | 22 | #5713 |
| 2020 | 24 | #5287 |
| 2019 | 28 | #4879 |
| 2018 | 30 | #4645 |
| 2017 | 20 | #6250 |
| 2016 | 26 | #5262 |
| 2015 | 20 | #6418 |
| 2014 | 12 | #9439 |
| 2013 | 11 | #10129 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sansa a boy's or girl's name?
When was Sansa most popular?
How popular is the name Sansa?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 2013–2024