Baby Names US
Unisex name ★ peaked 1989

Sonni

Gender Unisex · 89% girls Rank 2025 #9,384
Rank 2025
#9,384
among girls · ↑1,612 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
19
named Sonni
How common
1 in 146,115
girls born in 2025
Peak year
1989
33 babies
All-time total
600
#11,344 all-time among girls
First recorded
1966
in Social Security records

Sonni popularity over time

600 babies have been named Sonni since 1966, 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
0.010.010.020.0218801900192019401960198020002020GirlsBoys
GirlsBoys

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 Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s – – – – – –
1920s – – – – – –
1930s – – – – – –
1940s – – – – – –
1950s – – – – – –
1960s 16 – 16 2 – #6,688
1970s 60 – 60 6 +275% #4,730
1980s 157 – 157 16 +162% #3,242
1990s 105 – 105 11 -33% #4,363
2000s 56 10 66 7 -37% #11,916
2010s 72 10 82 8 +24% #8,340
2020s (to 2025) 70 44 114 19 +132% #6,896

The story of Sonni

Sonni is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #9,384 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.

Since 1966, 600 American babies have been named Sonni, about 89% girls and 11% boys, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1989, when 33 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1980s.

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

How old are people named Sonni?

The median living Sonni is about 31 years old; half are between 9 and 38. An estimated 600 people named Sonni are alive in the United States today.

median 31 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Sonni 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 11 #9,384 8 #9,591
2024 9 #10,996 6 #12,154
2023 17 #6,896 5 #13,906
2022 11 #9,601 8 #9,714
2021 9 #11,050 6 #11,941
2020 13 #8,356 11 #7,430
2019 6 #15,334 – –
2018 12 #9,085 – –
2017 8 #12,597 – –
2016 14 #8,340 – –
2015 10 #10,769 5 #13,769
2014 6 #16,265 – –
2013 – – – –
2012 – – 5 #13,932
2011 9 #12,026 – –
2010 7 #14,761 – –
2009 – – – –
2008 6 #17,223 – –
2007 8 #13,775 – –
2006 – – 5 #13,737
2005 7 #14,316 5 #13,081
2004 6 #15,839 – –
2003 7 #13,661 – –
2002 8 #12,050 – –
2001 8 #11,916 – –
2000 6 #14,776 – –
1995 6 #13,178 – –
1990 23 #4,363 – –
1985 6 #10,505 – –
1980 12 #5,862 – –
1975 – – – –
1970 12 #4,730 – –
1965 – – – –
1960 – – – –
1955 – – – –
1950 – – – –
1945 – – – –
1940 – – – –
1935 – – – –
1930 – – – –
1925 – – – –
1920 – – – –
1915 – – – –
1910 – – – –
1905 – – – –
1900 – – – –
1895 – – – –
1890 – – – –
1885 – – – –
1880 – – – –

Famous people named Sonni

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

  1. 1 Sonni Ali First king of the Songhai Empire 1464–1492 · Medieval

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Sonni?

The median living Sonni is about 31 years old. Half of all living Sonnis are between 9 and 38 years old.

How many people named Sonni are alive today?

An estimated 600 people named Sonni are alive in the United States, based on 600 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

How popular is the name Sonni in 2025?

Sonni ranked #9,384 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 11 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Sonni?

600 babies have been named Sonni in the United States since 1966, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sonni most popular?

Sonni peaked in 1989, when 33 newborns received the name.

Is Sonni a boy or girl name?

Sonni is used for both: about 89% of babies named Sonni have been girls and 11% boys.

Is the name Sonni rising or falling?

Sonni is on the rise, noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Sonni?

Well-known people named Sonni include Sonni Ali (politician).

Names like Sonni

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

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