Sue: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

#9,387

among girls · ↓1,012 vs 2024

Babies in 2025

named Sue

How common

1 in 146,115

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1947

5,318 babies

All-time total

145,055

#278 all-time among girls

First recorded

1880

in Social Security records

Sue popularity over time

145,055 babies have been named Sue since 1880, 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

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	918	–	918	92	–	#172
1890s	1,326	–	1,326	133	+44%	#197
1900s	1,774	–	1,774	177	+34%	#225
1910s	6,091	7	6,098	610	+244%	#203
1920s	7,073	10	7,083	708	+16%	#198
1930s	19,507	83	19,590	1,959	+177%	#92
1940s	40,943	139	41,082	4,108	+110%	#61
1950s	38,852	75	38,927	3,893	-5%	#100
1960s	21,601	39	21,640	2,164	-44%	#120
1970s	3,823	15	3,838	384	-82%	#367
1980s	1,678	93	1,771	177	-54%	#543
1990s	522	58	580	58	-67%	#1,814
2000s	238	–	238	24	-59%	#3,652
2010s	147	–	147	15	-38%	#5,301
2020s (to 2025)	43	–	43	7	-51%	#8,375

The story of Sue

Sue is rare for girls in the United States, ranked #9,387 in 2025 with 11 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 145,055 American babies have been named Sue. Its peak came in 1947, when 5,318 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 Sue stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Sue?

The median living Sue is about 71 years old; half are between 65 and 79. An estimated 91 thousand people named Sue are alive in the United States today.

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

Sue 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	#9,387	–	–
2024	13	#8,375	–	–
2023	9	#11,070	–	–
2022	5	#17,459	–	–
2021	5	#17,399	–	–
2020	–	–	–	–
2019	6	#15,344	–	–
2018	16	#7,380	–	–
2017	10	#10,610	–	–
2016	12	#9,362	–	–
2015	13	#8,886	–	–
2014	15	#8,010	–	–
2013	26	#5,301	–	–
2012	13	#9,056	–	–
2011	19	#6,818	–	–
2010	17	#7,475	–	–
2009	25	#5,690	–	–
2008	17	#7,705	–	–
2007	23	#6,058	–	–
2006	22	#6,102	–	–
2005	21	#5,975	–	–
2004	14	#8,197	–	–
2003	23	#5,396	–	–
2002	25	#4,888	–	–
2001	32	#4,020	–	–
2000	36	#3,652	–	–
1995	47	#2,649	–	–
1990	74	#1,904	11	#4,949
1985	140	#1,059	11	#4,018
1980	347	#543	–	–
1975	293	#567	–	–
1970	666	#367	–	–
1965	1,775	#190	–	–
1960	4,009	#120	6	#4,001
1955	3,729	#116	8	#3,175
1950	3,503	#100	9	#2,753
1945	3,914	#66	16	#1,761
1940	3,104	#81	8	#2,840
1935	2,024	#115	13	#2,117
1930	1,213	#167	5	#4,484
1925	673	#255	–	–
1920	707	#246	–	–
1915	812	#203	–	–
1910	277	#231	–	–
1905	191	#225	–	–
1900	157	#261	–	–
1895	157	#219	–	–
1890	120	#223	–	–
1885	94	#195	–	–
1880	65	#190	–	–

Famous people named Sue

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

1 Sue Bird American basketball player (born 1980) Contemporary
2 Sue Lyon American actress (1946–2019) Contemporary
3 Sue Ane Langdon American actress (born 1936) Contemporary
4 Sue Barker English tennis player and television presenter b. 1956 · Contemporary
5 Sue Grafton American writer (1940–2017) Contemporary
6 Sue Townsend English writer and humorist (1946–2014) Contemporary
7 Sue Monk Kidd American novelist and memoirist (born 1948) Contemporary
8 Sue Gardner Canadian journalist (born 1967) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How old is the average Sue?

The median living Sue is about 71 years old. Half of all living Sues are between 65 and 79 years old.

How many people named Sue are alive today?

An estimated 91 thousand people named Sue are alive in the United States, based on 145,055 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sue mean?

A diminutive of the female given name Susan and of related female given names; popular as a middle name.

How popular is the name Sue in 2025?

Sue ranked #9,387 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 Sue?

145,055 babies have been named Sue in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sue most popular?

Sue peaked in 1947, when 5,318 newborns received the name.

Is Sue a boy or girl name?

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

Is the name Sue rising or falling?

Sue is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Who are famous people named Sue?

Well-known people named Sue include Sue Bird (basketball player), Sue Lyon (actor), Sue Ane Langdon (actor).

Names like Sue

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

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