Sully
A diminutive of the male given name Sullivan.
Every Sully since 1980 — 1,050 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sully
Sully is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #3,371 in 2025 with 35 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1980, 1,050 American babies have been named Sully — about 65% boys and 35% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2011, when 47 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Sully stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sully 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 | 6 | #14,725 | 35 | #3,371 |
| 2024 | 5 | #17,394 | 32 | #3,594 |
| 2023 | 5 | #17,331 | 27 | #4,102 |
| 2022 | 9 | #11,144 | 17 | #5,605 |
| 2021 | 8 | #12,074 | 31 | #3,639 |
| 2020 | 9 | #10,986 | 21 | #4,679 |
| 2019 | 8 | #12,325 | 21 | #4,785 |
| 2018 | 9 | #11,330 | 25 | #4,203 |
| 2017 | 12 | #9,286 | 21 | #4,726 |
| 2016 | — | — | 21 | #4,752 |
| 2015 | 7 | #14,335 | 17 | #5,483 |
| 2014 | 7 | #14,392 | 24 | #4,244 |
| 2013 | 6 | #16,316 | 19 | #4,954 |
| 2012 | — | — | 34 | #3,290 |
| 2011 | 5 | #19,239 | 42 | #2,843 |
| 2010 | 11 | #10,384 | 33 | #3,366 |
| 2009 | 7 | #15,054 | 32 | #3,467 |
| 2008 | 5 | #20,109 | 25 | #4,125 |
| 2007 | 5 | #20,201 | 23 | #4,350 |
| 2006 | 8 | #13,473 | 23 | #4,200 |
| 2005 | — | — | 22 | #4,169 |
| 2004 | — | — | 20 | #4,393 |
| 2003 | — | — | 18 | #4,595 |
| 2002 | — | — | 23 | #3,771 |
| 2001 | 5 | #17,624 | 15 | #5,105 |
| 2000 | 5 | #17,292 | 9 | #7,325 |
| 1995 | 7 | #11,647 | 7 | #7,696 |
| 1990 | 21 | #4,676 | — | — |
| 1985 | 22 | #3,830 | — | — |
| 1980 | 7 | #8,961 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sully
- Sully Prudhomme Writer · 1839–1907
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sully mean?
A diminutive of the male given name Sullivan.
How popular is the name Sully in 2025?
Sully ranked #3,371 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 35 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sully?
1,050 babies have been named Sully in the United States since 1980, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sully most popular?
Sully peaked in 2011, when 47 newborns received the name.
Is Sully a boy or girl name?
Sully is used for both: about 35% of babies named Sully have been girls and 65% boys.
Is the name Sully rising or falling?
Sully is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sully?
Well-known people named Sully include Sully Prudhomme (writer).