Sanaa is an Arabic name that means "brilliance" or "radiance"; it is also the name of the capital of Yemen, and in Swahili sanaa means a work of art. The actress Sanaa Lathan, star of Love and Basketball, brought it to American attention. In the United States Sanaa ranked number 4378 in 2000, entered the top 1000 in 2003 and peaked at number 606 in 2006; it has since slipped to number 2116 among girls' names in 2025.