Sally
A diminutive lambdacism of Sarah.
Every Sally since 1880 — 205,876 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sally
Sally is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,158 in 2025 with 201 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 205,876 American babies have been named Sally. Its peak came in 1947, when 5,279 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Sally stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sally 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 | 201 | #1,158 | — | — |
| 2024 | 225 | #1,096 | — | — |
| 2023 | 171 | #1,329 | — | — |
| 2022 | 176 | #1,340 | — | — |
| 2021 | 192 | #1,228 | — | — |
| 2020 | 200 | #1,169 | — | — |
| 2019 | 161 | #1,402 | — | — |
| 2018 | 195 | #1,212 | — | — |
| 2017 | 245 | #1,053 | — | — |
| 2016 | 211 | #1,187 | — | — |
| 2015 | 222 | #1,141 | — | — |
| 2014 | 209 | #1,177 | — | — |
| 2013 | 218 | #1,120 | — | — |
| 2012 | 208 | #1,186 | — | — |
| 2011 | 212 | #1,159 | — | — |
| 2010 | 214 | #1,145 | — | — |
| 2009 | 227 | #1,120 | — | — |
| 2008 | 227 | #1,136 | — | — |
| 2007 | 253 | #1,043 | — | — |
| 2006 | 244 | #1,053 | — | — |
| 2005 | 244 | #1,003 | — | — |
| 2004 | 265 | #917 | — | — |
| 2003 | 226 | #1,023 | — | — |
| 2002 | 263 | #871 | — | — |
| 2001 | 301 | #787 | — | — |
| 2000 | 332 | #705 | — | — |
| 1995 | 390 | #586 | — | — |
| 1990 | 549 | #450 | 6 | #7,936 |
| 1985 | 567 | #399 | — | — |
| 1980 | 740 | #327 | 6 | #6,108 |
| 1975 | 949 | #256 | 7 | #4,699 |
| 1970 | 1,247 | #249 | 9 | #3,478 |
| 1965 | 2,318 | #162 | 8 | #3,202 |
| 1960 | 3,754 | #123 | 12 | #2,519 |
| 1955 | 4,688 | #95 | 10 | #2,727 |
| 1950 | 4,870 | #78 | 6 | #3,627 |
| 1945 | 3,982 | #64 | — | — |
| 1940 | 3,803 | #61 | 20 | #1,560 |
| 1935 | 3,711 | #58 | 15 | #1,907 |
| 1930 | 2,542 | #98 | 14 | #2,157 |
| 1925 | 1,310 | #173 | 7 | #3,683 |
| 1920 | 958 | #203 | 7 | #3,765 |
| 1915 | 1,121 | #163 | 6 | #3,763 |
| 1910 | 553 | #147 | — | — |
| 1905 | 303 | #173 | — | — |
| 1900 | 287 | #183 | — | — |
| 1895 | 162 | #214 | — | — |
| 1890 | 154 | #193 | — | — |
| 1885 | 107 | #179 | — | — |
| 1880 | 80 | #166 | — | — |
Famous people named Sally
- Sally Field Actor · b. 1946
- Sally Hawkins Actor · b. 1976
- Sally Ride Astronaut · 1951–2012
- Sally Oldfield Musician · b. 1947
- Sally Hemings Celebrity · 1773–1835
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sally mean?
A diminutive lambdacism of Sarah.
How popular is the name Sally in 2025?
Sally ranked #1,158 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 201 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sally?
205,876 babies have been named Sally in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sally most popular?
Sally peaked in 1947, when 5,279 newborns received the name.
Is Sally a boy or girl name?
Sally is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sally rising or falling?
Sally has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sally?
Well-known people named Sally include Sally Field (actor), Sally Hawkins (actor), Sally Ride (astronaut).