Sullivan
Every Sullivan since 1884 — 17,077 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sullivan
Sullivan is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #314 in 2025 with 1,083 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1884, 17,077 American babies have been named Sullivan — about 92% boys and 8% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,157 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Sullivan stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sullivan 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 | 74 | #2,432 | 1,083 | #314 |
| 2024 | 102 | #1,954 | 1,016 | #339 |
| 2023 | 85 | #2,226 | 918 | #358 |
| 2022 | 87 | #2,190 | 901 | #366 |
| 2021 | 81 | #2,284 | 876 | #372 |
| 2020 | 77 | #2,313 | 770 | #398 |
| 2019 | 74 | #2,424 | 778 | #401 |
| 2018 | 83 | #2,235 | 822 | #388 |
| 2017 | 91 | #2,126 | 797 | #401 |
| 2016 | 80 | #2,364 | 783 | #409 |
| 2015 | 70 | #2,584 | 667 | #455 |
| 2014 | 49 | #3,320 | 634 | #463 |
| 2013 | 53 | #3,118 | 540 | #504 |
| 2012 | 48 | #3,415 | 548 | #490 |
| 2011 | 29 | #4,902 | 488 | #523 |
| 2010 | 28 | #5,092 | 371 | #650 |
| 2009 | 38 | #4,097 | 380 | #653 |
| 2008 | 22 | #6,327 | 332 | #705 |
| 2007 | 37 | #4,202 | 314 | #732 |
| 2006 | 29 | #4,936 | 203 | #931 |
| 2005 | 22 | #5,768 | 190 | #927 |
| 2004 | 18 | #6,732 | 177 | #953 |
| 2003 | 20 | #6,023 | 171 | #958 |
| 2002 | 29 | #4,372 | 159 | #993 |
| 2001 | 13 | #8,138 | 124 | #1,133 |
| 2000 | 19 | #5,911 | 85 | #1,465 |
| 1995 | 14 | #6,593 | 58 | #1,600 |
| 1990 | — | — | 26 | #2,618 |
| 1985 | — | — | 5 | #7,457 |
| 1980 | — | — | 9 | #4,456 |
| 1975 | — | — | 10 | #3,631 |
| 1970 | — | — | 11 | #3,047 |
| 1965 | — | — | 15 | #2,162 |
| 1960 | — | — | 10 | #2,849 |
| 1955 | — | — | 15 | #2,127 |
| 1950 | — | — | 11 | #2,425 |
| 1945 | — | — | 16 | #1,762 |
| 1940 | — | — | 8 | #2,841 |
| 1935 | — | — | 8 | #2,919 |
| 1930 | — | — | 9 | #2,991 |
| 1925 | — | — | 19 | #1,861 |
| 1920 | — | — | 15 | #2,216 |
| 1915 | — | — | 10 | #2,597 |
| 1910 | — | — | 6 | #1,566 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 10 | #898 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 10 | #663 |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sullivan
- Sullivan Stapleton Actor · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Sullivan in 2025?
Sullivan ranked #314 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,083 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sullivan?
17,077 babies have been named Sullivan in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sullivan most popular?
Sullivan peaked in 2025, when 1,157 newborns received the name.
Is Sullivan a boy or girl name?
Sullivan is used for both: about 8% of babies named Sullivan have been girls and 92% boys.
Is the name Sullivan rising or falling?
Sullivan is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sullivan?
Well-known people named Sullivan include Sullivan Stapleton (actor).