Sister
Every Sister since 1883 — 563 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sister
Sister is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1883, 563 American babies have been named Sister. Its peak came in 1914, when 21 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Sister stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sister year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | — | — |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | — | — |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1935 | 7 | #3,707 |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,309 |
| 1925 | 11 | #3,099 |
| 1920 | 8 | #3,911 |
| 1915 | 12 | #2,509 |
| 1910 | 18 | #1,060 |
| 1905 | 11 | #1,229 |
| 1900 | 10 | #1,305 |
| 1895 | 12 | #974 |
| 1890 | 6 | #1,321 |
| 1885 | 6 | #1,034 |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Sister
- Sister Lúcia Religious figure · 1907–2005
- Sister Rosetta Tharpe Musician · 1915–1973
- Sister Nivedita Writer · 1867–1911
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Sister in 2025?
Sister did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Sister?
563 babies have been named Sister in the United States since 1883, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sister most popular?
Sister peaked in 1914, when 21 newborns received the name.
Is Sister a boy or girl name?
Sister is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sister rising or falling?
Sister has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sister?
Well-known people named Sister include Sister Lúcia (religious figure), Sister Rosetta Tharpe (musician), Sister Nivedita (writer).