Serene Savannah: A splendid name
Choosing a name for your new arrival can be an exciting and daunting experience.
If you’re considering the name Savannah, you’re looking at a choice that combines a touch of the exotic with a sense of warmth and openness.
Popularity of the name Savannah
If you’re drawn to the name Savannah, you’re in good company. This name has graced the lists of popular baby names for quite some time.
Its use in the United States dates back to 1880, and over the past 200 years, over 181,105 girls have been named Savannah.
The name saw a significant surge in popularity in 1996 and made it into the top 50 baby names for girls in 2000, maintaining this status until 2019 when it dropped slightly to 54th place.
More recently, in 2023, Savannah has been ranked at number 76, climbing up from its previous year’s position. It reached its peak in 2006 and 2007, securing the 30th spot.
Savannah in the spotlight
The name Savannah has been chosen by various celebrities and appears across different media, making it a well-recognized and timeless choice:
- Savannah Guthrie, a prominent broadcast journalist
- Savannah Outen, an American singer known for her covers and original songs
- Savannah Churchill, a renowned blues singer active in the 1940s and 1950s
- Savannah Smith Boucher, an American actress and producer
- Savannah King, a competitive swimmer from the United States
- Savannah Jane Buffett, daughter of singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett
- Savannah Marshall, a professional boxer from England
- Savannah Stevenson, an English actress known for her work on stage
- Savannah Summers, an Australian professional wrestler
- Savannah Robinson, an American pop singer
- Savannah Sanitoa, a beauty queen from American Samoa
- Savannah Miller, an English fashion designer
- Savannah Haske, an American actress and writer
Variations and nicknames
With a name like Savannah, the possibilities for personalization are abundant. Here are some variations and nicknames:
- Vannah
- Savy
- Anna
- Van
- Savvy
Modern variants might play with the spelling, offering forms like:
- Savanah
- Savanna
- Zavannah
For an international twist, consider:
- Savanne (French)
- Savanija (Lithuanian)
- Sabana (Spanish)
How to pronounce Savannah
Pronunciation: sə-VAN-ə
Savannah is a three-syllable name with the emphasis on the second syllable — think of it rhyming with ‘Hannah.’
Common mispronunciations may include overstressing the first syllable or misplacing the emphasis.
Similar names
If you’re fond of the sound and feel of Savannah but still weighing options, you might try:
- Sienna
- Serena
- Susannah
- Savannah
- Samara
These names share a similar rhythm and softness, making them great alternatives.
The story behind the name
Savannah, which means ‘treeless grassland’, originates from the Taíno (Caribbean) word “sabana”.
The Taíno were an indigenous people who inhabited the Caribbean islands before European colonization. Their word “sabana” was adopted into Spanish as “sabana” and later entered English as “savannah.”
The name was adopted into English usage and became a given name in America in the 19th century.
The revival of the name in the 1980s can be attributed in part to the movie “Savannah Smiles” (1982).
It has been on the popularity list since records began in the 1880s, breaking into the Top 100 in 19939, and it has remained a popular choice, especially during the 2000s and 2010s.
The name Savannah has been chosen by various celebrities for their children, including actress Marcia Cross and is also the name of Queen Elizabeth’s first great-grandchild.
