Sander: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#3,030

among boys · ↑1,143 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Sander · +58% vs 2024

How common

1 in 41,660

boys born in 2025

Peak year

2020

46 babies

All-time total

1,667

#3,796 all-time among boys

First recorded

1912

in Social Security records

Sander popularity over time

1,667 babies have been named Sander since 1912, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure

Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras

BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade	Girls	Boys	Total	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1900s	–	–	–	–	–	–
1910s	–	45	45	5	–	#2,589
1920s	–	87	87	9	+93%	#2,287
1930s	–	93	93	9	+7%	#1,742
1940s	–	106	106	11	+14%	#1,998
1950s	25	99	124	12	+17%	#2,027
1960s	40	124	164	16	+32%	#1,887
1970s	14	67	81	8	-51%	#2,386
1980s	–	79	79	8	-2%	#2,931
1990s	–	118	118	12	+49%	#3,683
2000s	–	273	273	27	+131%	#3,016
2010s	–	267	267	27	-2%	#3,293
2020s (to 2025)	–	230	230	38	+44%	#2,722

Where Sander is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year	Projected babies	Per 1,000 boys	Implied rank
2026	42	0.02	outside top 500
2027	42	0.02	outside top 500
2028	43	0.02	outside top 500
2029	43	0.03	outside top 500
2030	43	0.03	outside top 500

The story of Sander

Sander is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,030 in 2025 with 41 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1912, 1,667 American babies have been named Sander. Its peak came in 2020, when 46 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 2020s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sander stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Sander?

The median living Sander is about 22 years old; half are between 9 and 54. An estimated 1,300 people named Sander are alive in the United States today.

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Sander year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year	Girls	Girls rank	Boys	Boys rank
2025	–	–	41	#3,030
2024	–	–	26	#4,173
2023	–	–	44	#2,885
2022	–	–	41	#3,046
2021	–	–	32	#3,565
2020	–	–	46	#2,722
2019	–	–	28	#3,882
2018	–	–	35	#3,293
2017	–	–	27	#3,966
2016	–	–	30	#3,665
2015	–	–	22	#4,524
2014	–	–	26	#3,989
2013	–	–	19	#4,944
2012	–	–	22	#4,508
2011	–	–	32	#3,418
2010	–	–	26	#3,971
2009	–	–	24	#4,257
2008	–	–	33	#3,410
2007	–	–	39	#3,016
2006	–	–	25	#3,978
2005	–	–	30	#3,375
2004	–	–	24	#3,836
2003	–	–	29	#3,259
2002	–	–	29	#3,172
2001	–	–	24	#3,598
2000	–	–	16	#4,753
1995	–	–	11	#5,440
1990	–	–	6	#7,938
1985	–	–	6	#6,389
1980	–	–	5	#7,100
1975	–	–	5	#6,176
1970	7	#6,905	16	#2,386
1965	–	–	13	#2,352
1960	–	–	–	–
1955	–	–	6	#3,824
1950	5	#5,968	10	#2,556
1945	–	–	13	#1,998
1940	–	–	9	#2,648
1935	–	–	13	#2,111
1930	–	–	10	#2,760
1925	–	–	9	#3,113
1920	–	–	7	#3,766
1915	–	–	10	#2,589
1910	–	–	–	–
1905	–	–	–	–
1900	–	–	–	–
1895	–	–	–	–
1890	–	–	–	–
1885	–	–	–	–
1880	–	–	–	–

Famous people named Sander

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

1 Sander Berge Norwegian footballer (born 1998) Contemporary
2 Sander Westerveld Dutch football coach and former professional player (born 1974) Contemporary
3 Sander Boschker Dutch footballer and coach b. 1970 · Contemporary
4 Sander van Doorn Dutch DJ b. 1979 · Contemporary
5 Sander Puri Estonian footballer (born 1988) Contemporary
6 Sander van Gessel Dutch footballer (born 1976) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Sander, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Sander?

The median living Sander is about 22 years old. Half of all living Sanders are between 9 and 54 years old.

How many people named Sander are alive today?

An estimated 1,300 people named Sander are alive in the United States, based on 1,667 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sander mean?

A diminutive of the male given name Alexander, from Ancient Greek.

How popular is the name Sander in 2025?

Sander ranked #3,030 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 41 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Sander?

1,667 babies have been named Sander in the United States since 1912, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sander most popular?

Sander peaked in 2020, when 46 newborns received the name.

Is Sander a boy or girl name?

Sander is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 95% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sander rising or falling?

Sander is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Will Sander become more popular?

Sander looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 43 boys named Sander in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Sander?

Well-known people named Sander include Sander Berge (soccer player), Sander Westerveld (soccer player), Sander Boschker (soccer player).

Names like Sander

Names that sound and feel close to Sander: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Sander with similar names → More names starting with S →