Baby Names US
girls' name ★ peaked 1914

Sister

Gender Girl Rank 2025 Below top lists
Rank 2025
–
among girls
Babies in 2025
<5
named Sister
How common
–
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1914
21 babies
All-time total
563
#11,000 all-time among girls
First recorded
1883
in Social Security records

Sister popularity over time

563 babies have been named Sister since 1883, 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
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1891Girls

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 Per year Change Best rank
1880s 31 3 – #913
1890s 104 10 +235% #745
1900s 115 12 +11% #869
1910s 160 16 +39% #1,004
1920s 57 6 -64% #3,099
1930s 55 6 -4% #3,248
1940s 41 4 -25% #3,219
1950s – – – –
1960s – – – –
1970s – – – –
1980s – – – –
1990s – – – –
2000s – – – –
2010s – – – –
2020s (to 2025) – – – –

The story of Sister

Sister is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1883, 563 American babies have been named Sister. Its peak came in 1914, when 21 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Sister stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Sister year by year

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

Year Girls Girls rank
2025 – –
2024 – –
2023 – –
2022 – –
2021 – –
2020 – –
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 – –
2016 – –
2015 – –
2014 – –
2013 – –
2012 – –
2011 – –
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 – –
2004 – –
2003 – –
2002 – –
2001 – –
2000 – –
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 – –
1975 – –
1970 – –
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 7 #3,707
1930 9 #3,309
1925 11 #3,099
1920 8 #3,911
1915 12 #2,509
1910 18 #1,060
1905 11 #1,229
1900 10 #1,305
1895 12 #974
1890 6 #1,321
1885 6 #1,034
1880 – –

Famous people named Sister

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

  1. 1 Sister Rosetta Tharpe Sister Rosetta Tharpe American gospel and rock musician (1915–1973) Contemporary
  2. 2 Sister Lúcia Sister Lúcia Portuguese Catholic nun (1907–2005) Contemporary
  3. 3 Sister Nivedita Sister Nivedita Irish social activist and disciple of Swami Vivekananda 1867–1911 · 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How popular is the name Sister in 2025?

Sister did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Sister?

563 babies have been named Sister in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sister most popular?

Sister peaked in 1914, when 21 newborns received the name.

Is Sister a boy or girl name?

Sister is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sister rising or falling?

Sister has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Sister?

Well-known people named Sister include Sister Rosetta Tharpe (musician), Sister Lúcia (religious figure), Sister Nivedita (writer).

Names like Sister

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

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