Sage
Sage was the 160th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,853 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 142nd; the most babies were born in 2022 (2,014). Over the last ten years it has moved up 209 places. More babies were named Sage in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning wise; the herb sage · English, French, Latin
Say it SAYJ /seɪdʒ/
- Rank in 2025
- #160 girls, up 63 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 1,853girls
- Girls and boys
- 72% girls, 28% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 20222,014 babies
- Total since 1880
- 46,216babies recorded
What does the name Sage mean?
Sage has two related meanings. As an English and French surname it was a nickname for a wise person, from the word sage, 'wise', which came into English from French. Wiktionary notes that the given name, in general use since the 1990s, is also associated with the herb sage, and Wikipedia lists Salvia, the herb's Latin name, among its variants. Wikipedia agrees on both senses. It is used for both girls and boys.
sage (Old French, “wise”)salvia (Latin, “sage (the herb)”)
How sure is this? Probable. Two associations (wise person; the herb); both are documented.
Related names: Saige, Sayge, Salvia.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Sage', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Sage (name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Sage popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #160 | #456 | 1,853 | 684 |
| 2020 | #223 | #436 | 1,319 | 682 |
| 2010 | #471 | #813 | 642 | 264 |
| 2000 | #489 | #543 | 557 | 392 |
| 1990 | #1,380 | #1,041 | 115 | 104 |
| 1980 | #2,692 | #1,689 | 35 | 35 |
| 1970 | #3,837 | #1,885 | 16 | 23 |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Sage, counting every spelling?
Sage has no other common spelling that sounds the same. Counting every name's spellings together, it ranks #186 for girls in 2025, against #160 on the official list, because Kaylani/Kailani/Keilani and Isabelle/Isabel/Izabel and Adalynn/Adalyn/Addalyn move ahead once their spellings are combined.
How many kids will share the name Sage?
1,853 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Sage (0.51 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Sage born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 5 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Sage.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Sage?
About 30,200 people born in the US named Sage are alive today, with a median age of 11; half are between 4 and 21. That makes Sage a young name: most people with it are children.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Sage by state
How common Sage was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Wyoming (5.6×), Montana (4.1×), Hawaii (4.0×), Utah (3.4×), Idaho (3.0×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Mississippi, Rhode Island, Texas.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Sage: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Sage, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Sage · Sibling names for Sage
Questions about the name Sage
What does Sage mean?
Sage means “wise; the herb sage” (English, French, Latin origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Sage?
Sage was the 160th most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 1,853 babies. Its best year was 2023, when it ranked 142nd; the most babies were born in 2022 (2,014). Over the last ten years it has moved up 209 places. More babies were named Sage in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Sage a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 72% girls, 28% boys given the name Sage in the US.
Where is Sage most popular?
In 2021–2025, Sage was most common in Wyoming (6.57 per 1,000 girls), followed by Montana and Hawaii.