Savanna is the one-N spelling of Savannah — a Spanish-derived word for the vast treeless grasslands of Africa and South America that became both a geographic term and an American place name, most famously for Savannah, Georgia. It peaked in 2006 with 32,745 total SSA records and remains a name that conjures wide-open landscapes, warm light, and distinctly American character.
The Spanish Root and the Geographic Name Tradition
Savannah derives from the Spanish sabana, borrowed from the Taíno word zabana for open grassy plain — a Caribbean indigenous term that spread through Spanish colonization and entered English to describe the African grasslands. The city of Savannah, Georgia, founded in 1733, is one of America's oldest and most beautiful cities — its grid of squares and Spanish moss make it a distinctive Southern landmark. Names derived from American place names have a long tradition: Georgia, Virginia, Florence, and Savannah all belong to this category. Among Spanish-derived names, Savanna/Savannah has a uniquely American identity layered over its Spanish-Taíno etymology.
One N or Two?
Savannah with two N's is the more common American spelling and mirrors the Georgia city's name. Savanna with one N is the geographical/botanical spelling for the biome. Both are widely used, with Savannah having significantly more SSA records overall. Savanna (one N) tends to appeal to parents who prefer the more streamlined spelling or who see the grassland landscape association as primary. Compare Savanna and Savannah to see how the two spellings have diverged. Browse 2000s names for the peak era of this name family.
Counter-Reading: The Georgia Association
Savanna/Savannah will always carry the Georgia city association — which is a positive for most families and means the name belongs to a specific American cultural geography. For families without Southern connections who nonetheless love the name, that association is present but not limiting. The name has escaped its geographic specificity over several decades of broad national use. See seven-letter girl names for the broader landscape.