Santiago

Saint James (Spanish)

Santiago is a spanish / biblical boy name in the Philippines. PSA rank #391 (18,056 records), 3 syllables.

Spanish / Biblical Spanish colonial
PSA rank
#391
Count
18,056
Syllables
3
Origin
Spanish / Biblical
Historical layer
Spanish colonial
Sound
Strong

Origin and meaning

Saint James (Spanish)

Santiago originates from the Spanish dedication 'Sant Iago' (Saint James), rooted ultimately in the Hebrew name Jacob. In the Philippines, it was introduced during the Spanish colonial era as both a given name and a prominent surname. It remains a classic masculine name associated with strong Catholic traditions.

Derived from the Spanish contraction of 'Sant Iago' (Saint James), referring to Saint James the Greater, the patron saint of Spain.

Spanish 80% Biblical 20%

Name character

Strength
4/5
Modernity
3/5
Formal feel
4/5
Sound: Strong Saint Pairs with short or long surnames Travels well High origin confidence

In the Philippines

Commonly shortened to 'Santi' or 'Tiago' in the Philippines. While widely used as a surname, as a given name it has recently enjoyed a stylish revival alongside vintage Hispanic names.

Best known for: Saint James the Greater (Santiago Apóstol)

Related forms

Rate this name

Score from 1 to 10. We are collecting opinions now — a public ranking comes later.

No ratings yet

Share this name

Santiago with popular surnames

How the first name sits with a mother's maiden surname and father's surname.

Compare Santiago with other first names

Compare

About the name Santiago

How do I use Santiago with two Filipino surnames?

Santiago is the given name. The full name is Santiago + mother's maiden surname + father's surname. Score a pair from a combination page or the homepage search.

Is Santiago a common boy name in the Philippines?

PSA rank #391 describes how often this given name appears in Philippine records — not whether it is a better name. Fit with both family surnames still matters more for the birth certificate.