Sage
Gender: Mostly Girl
Meaning: Wise one; the sage herb
Origin: Old French sage (wise) — from Latin sapius (wise), or from the herb salvia (sage)
Popularity: Ranked #160 in 2025 with 1,853 babies born.
History: Sage carries a beautiful double meaning — both the quality of wisdom and the fragrant silver-green herb used in cooking and in sacred purification rituals across Native American and other traditions. The name was used occasionally through the 20th century but has surged in the 2010s as part of the nature-name and word-name movements. It works equally well for boys and girls and has entered the U.S. top 200 for both. The combination of herbal earthiness, spiritual resonance, and the simple virtue of wisdom makes it one of the most meaningfully loaded short names in modern naming.
Famous people named Sage: Sage Steele (sportscaster)
Name length: 4 letters
How common is Sage? About 1 in 1,312 babies born in 2025 were named Sage, or roughly 7 per day in the United States.
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Frequently asked about Sage
What does the name Sage mean?
Sage means “Wise one; the sage herb” from Old French sage (wise) — from Latin sapius (wise), or from the herb salvia (sage) roots.
What is the origin of the name Sage?
Sage has Old French sage (wise) — from Latin sapius (wise), or from the herb salvia (sage) origin. The traditional meaning is “Wise one; the sage herb”.
How popular is Sage?
Sage ranked #160 in 2025 — given to 1,853 babies that year.
When was Sage most popular?
Sage peaked in 2022 with 2,013 babies registered that year.
Is Sage a boy or girl name?
Sage is used for both boys and girls. In the records, about 34% of Sages are boys and 66% are girls.
Is the name Sage rising or falling in popularity?
Sage has risen 63 spots in the rankings over the last 5 years — from #223 in 2020 to #160 in 2025.
How long has Sage been recorded?
Sage appears in birth records across 62 years — from 1921 through 2025.