Sabrina
Sabrina Name Meaning, Origin & Popularity
suhb-REE-nuh
Meaning of Sabrina: The name Sabrina derives from the ancient Celtic name for the River Severn in Britain, known to the Romans as Sabrina Flumina. According to the etymology records, the river's Celtic name may relate to a Brittonic root, though scholars have not reached consensus on a specific meaning; some connect it to an ancient personal name applied to the river in pre-Roman times.
The legendary origin of the name appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's 12th-century Historia Regum Britanniae, where Sabrina is a princess drowned in the Severn and transformed into the river's spirit. The story entered mainstream English literary consciousness through John Milton's masque Comus (1634), where Sabrina appears as a benevolent water goddess invoked to rescue a virtuous maiden.
Milton's Sabrina became the direct literary source for the name's use as a personal name in English. The character's combination of tragedy, supernatural power, and protective virtue made it appealing to Romantic-era parents who valued mythological resonance in naming choices.
What Does Sabrina Mean? Origin & Etymology
According to SSA records, Sabrina peaked in the US in 1977, with 869 births recorded at rank 357 in the most recent annual count. The name received renewed cultural attention through the American sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1996-2003) and the 2018 Netflix series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, maintaining its visibility across three decades of US television.
Variant forms include Zabrina (an uncommon American spelling variant), Sabryna, and the Italian Sabrina which matches the English spelling exactly. The name has no masculine equivalent in English, as the river spirit mythology is exclusively feminine in all source texts from Geoffrey of Monmouth onward.
How Popular Is Sabrina?
Numerology & Symbolism of Sabrina
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Sabrina – Similar Names & Alternatives
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity
Frequently Asked Questions about Sabrina
What does the name Sabrina mean?
The name Sabrina carries roots in Celtic and reflects the naming values of that cultural tradition. The precise meaning connects to concepts meaningful in its source language and culture.
How popular is the name Sabrina in the United States?
According to SSA records, Sabrina ranked #357 for girl names in the United States, with 869 births recorded in the most recent annual count. The name hit its highest SSA rank in 1977. It has held a consistent place in US naming statistics across multiple decades.
Where does the name Sabrina come from?
The name Sabrina comes from Celtic. It entered English use through the linguistic and cultural channels typical of Celtic-origin names—whether through religious texts, migration, or the prestige associated with classical learning. Today it is recognized as a girl’s name across the English-speaking world.