Carl Sagan had five children.
His five children were born across his three marriages. With biologist Lynn Margulis, he had Jeremy and Dorion Sagan. With artist Linda Salzman, he had Nick Sagan. With writer Ann Druyan, whom he married in 1981, he had Alexandra—known as Sasha—and Samuel Sagan.
The total can be confusing because Sagan’s family life spanned several decades and blended biological and stepfamily relationships. The standard biographical count refers to his five children, rather than counting only the children from one marriage or adding other relatives in the household.
His children also became connected to his public legacy. Nick Sagan became a writer and worked in television, while Sasha Sagan later wrote about family, grief, ritual, and meaning in For Small Creatures Such as We. Carl Sagan’s partnership with Druyan also influenced major creative projects, including Cosmos and the film adaptation of Contact.
Sagan’s family story is therefore closely tied to his professional life: science, writing, television, and public education were recurring parts of the world his children grew up around.