Sumner
Every Sumner since 1880 — 2,662 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sumner
Sumner is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,580 in 2025 with 17 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 2,662 American babies have been named Sumner — about 92% boys and 8% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1920, when 65 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Sumner stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sumner 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 | #14,728 | 17 | #5,580 |
| 2024 | — | — | 13 | #6,783 |
| 2023 | 12 | #8,927 | 11 | #7,668 |
| 2022 | 5 | #17,466 | 9 | #8,892 |
| 2021 | — | — | 12 | #7,039 |
| 2020 | — | — | 16 | #5,664 |
| 2019 | — | — | 11 | #7,568 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17,842 | 16 | #5,744 |
| 2017 | — | — | 11 | #7,480 |
| 2016 | — | — | 11 | #7,544 |
| 2015 | — | — | 16 | #5,711 |
| 2014 | — | — | 13 | #6,581 |
| 2013 | — | — | 14 | #6,198 |
| 2012 | 6 | #16,619 | 13 | #6,590 |
| 2011 | 6 | #16,536 | 10 | #7,988 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14,769 | 10 | #8,056 |
| 2009 | — | — | 18 | #5,284 |
| 2008 | 5 | #20,114 | 12 | #7,126 |
| 2007 | 5 | #20,208 | 15 | #5,869 |
| 2006 | 5 | #19,707 | 18 | #5,043 |
| 2005 | 7 | #14,330 | 19 | #4,608 |
| 2004 | 5 | #18,477 | 24 | #3,840 |
| 2003 | 5 | #18,081 | 19 | #4,399 |
| 2002 | 8 | #12,064 | 14 | #5,362 |
| 2001 | 7 | #13,323 | 14 | #5,361 |
| 2000 | 12 | #8,482 | 17 | #4,542 |
| 1995 | 12 | #7,461 | 19 | #3,538 |
| 1990 | — | — | 20 | #3,153 |
| 1985 | 7 | #9,173 | 11 | #4,019 |
| 1980 | — | — | 10 | #4,093 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | 7 | #4,189 |
| 1965 | — | — | 8 | #3,222 |
| 1960 | — | — | 10 | #2,850 |
| 1955 | — | — | 12 | #2,420 |
| 1950 | — | — | 19 | #1,740 |
| 1945 | — | — | 16 | #1,763 |
| 1940 | — | — | 20 | #1,565 |
| 1935 | — | — | 26 | #1,350 |
| 1930 | — | — | 40 | #1,111 |
| 1925 | — | — | 57 | #898 |
| 1920 | — | — | 65 | #843 |
| 1915 | — | — | 41 | #995 |
| 1910 | — | — | 13 | #923 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | 6 | #1,289 |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | 7 | #872 |
| 1885 | — | — | 8 | #758 |
| 1880 | — | — | 10 | #631 |
Famous people named Sumner
- Sumner Paine Social activist · 1868–1904
- Sumner Redstone Businessperson · 1923–2020
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Sumner in 2025?
Sumner ranked #5,580 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 17 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sumner?
2,662 babies have been named Sumner in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sumner most popular?
Sumner peaked in 1920, when 65 newborns received the name.
Is Sumner a boy or girl name?
Sumner is used for both: about 8% of babies named Sumner have been girls and 92% boys.
Is the name Sumner rising or falling?
Sumner has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sumner?
Well-known people named Sumner include Sumner Paine (social activist), Sumner Redstone (businessperson).