Santiago
san-tee-AH-go /ˌsæn.tiˈɑː.ɡoʊ/
Meaning of Santiago
Santiago is the Spanish contraction of Santo Iago — 'Saint James' (Iago being the Old Spanish form of James, from Latin Jacobus, from Hebrew Ya'akov). The pilgrimage city of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia — where the tomb of Saint James the Apostle is venerated — is one of the most important sacred sites in Christendom, and the name has been in continuous Spanish use since the medieval era.
How to pronounce Santiago
In Spanish: san-TIA-go (stress on second syllable).
Current popularity of Santiago
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #130 |
| Mexico (INEGI) | 2024 | #2 |
| Spain (INE) | 2024 | #3 |
| AR | 2024 | #1 |
Cultural notes
The #1 boys' name in Argentina for several consecutive years; consistently top-3 in Chile and Colombia as well.
Notable bearers of Santiago
Santiago de Compostela (pilgrimage city); The Old Man and the Sea by Hemingway (protagonist Santiago).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Santiago — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
- https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
- https://www.ine.es/dyngs/INEbase/es/operacion.htm?c=Estadistica_C&cid=1254736177009
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31