Sonny
A male given name from English.
Every Sonny since 1888 — 23,356 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sonny
Sonny is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #298 in 2025 with 1,137 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1888, 23,356 American babies have been named Sonny. Its peak came in 2025, when 1,192 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 Sonny stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sonny 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 | 55 | #3,022 | 1,137 | #298 |
| 2024 | 62 | #2,769 | 1,037 | #336 |
| 2023 | 66 | #2,669 | 929 | #354 |
| 2022 | 49 | #3,309 | 725 | #428 |
| 2021 | 53 | #3,106 | 589 | #498 |
| 2020 | 48 | #3,273 | 527 | #536 |
| 2019 | 37 | #3,995 | 417 | #644 |
| 2018 | 33 | #4,343 | 382 | #663 |
| 2017 | 30 | #4,684 | 303 | #774 |
| 2016 | 18 | #6,871 | 268 | #843 |
| 2015 | 26 | #5,276 | 275 | #825 |
| 2014 | 16 | #7,595 | 243 | #890 |
| 2013 | 13 | #8,979 | 252 | #848 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6,838 | 222 | #927 |
| 2011 | 22 | #6,122 | 232 | #892 |
| 2010 | 18 | #7,181 | 212 | #948 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9,909 | 248 | #860 |
| 2008 | 11 | #10,710 | 247 | #864 |
| 2007 | 9 | #12,551 | 240 | #867 |
| 2006 | 12 | #9,835 | 225 | #878 |
| 2005 | 9 | #11,721 | 241 | #799 |
| 2004 | 10 | #10,582 | 212 | #841 |
| 2003 | 10 | #10,341 | 231 | #766 |
| 2002 | 11 | #9,404 | 209 | #813 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10,911 | 196 | #832 |
| 2000 | 11 | #9,082 | 183 | #868 |
| 1995 | 8 | #10,397 | 185 | #791 |
| 1990 | 13 | #6,825 | 241 | #651 |
| 1985 | 9 | #7,477 | 199 | #623 |
| 1980 | 14 | #5,207 | 221 | #578 |
| 1975 | 9 | #6,394 | 336 | #428 |
| 1970 | — | — | 192 | #585 |
| 1965 | — | — | 123 | #671 |
| 1960 | 5 | #7,170 | 145 | #647 |
| 1955 | 5 | #6,604 | 125 | #658 |
| 1950 | — | — | 120 | #632 |
| 1945 | — | — | 99 | #609 |
| 1940 | — | — | 111 | #563 |
| 1935 | — | — | 147 | #469 |
| 1930 | — | — | 92 | #642 |
| 1925 | — | — | 35 | #1,220 |
| 1920 | — | — | 27 | #1,455 |
| 1915 | — | — | 17 | #1,773 |
| 1910 | — | — | 9 | #1,185 |
| 1905 | — | — | 8 | #990 |
| 1900 | — | — | 13 | #728 |
| 1895 | — | — | 6 | #1,068 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sonny
- Sonny Chiba Actor · b. 1939
- Sonny Liston Boxer · 1932–1970
- Sonny Rollins Musician · b. 1930
- Sonny Boy Williamson II Singer · 1912–1965
- Sonny Anderson Soccer player · b. 1970
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sonny mean?
A male given name from English.
How popular is the name Sonny in 2025?
Sonny ranked #298 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 1,137 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sonny?
23,356 babies have been named Sonny in the United States since 1888, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sonny most popular?
Sonny peaked in 2025, when 1,192 newborns received the name.
Is Sonny a boy or girl name?
Sonny is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sonny rising or falling?
Sonny is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sonny?
Well-known people named Sonny include Sonny Chiba (actor), Sonny Liston (boxer), Sonny Rollins (musician).