Sue
A diminutive of the female given name Susan and of related female given names; popular as a middle name.
Every Sue since 1880 — 145,055 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Sue Lyon Actor · 1946–2019
- Sue Townsend Writer · 1946–2014
- Sue Grafton Writer · 1940–2017
- Sue Gardner Journalist · b. 1967
- Sue Monk Kidd Writer · b. 1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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 Lyon (actor), Sue Townsend (writer), Sue Grafton (writer).