Susan
A female given name from Hebrew.
Every Susan since 1880 — 1,126,022 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Susan
Susan is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,091 in 2025 with 222 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,126,022 American babies have been named Susan. Its peak came in 1955, when 47,483 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
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 Susan stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Susan 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 | 222 | #1,091 | — | — |
| 2024 | 216 | #1,123 | — | — |
| 2023 | 223 | #1,105 | — | — |
| 2022 | 212 | #1,150 | — | — |
| 2021 | 226 | #1,098 | — | — |
| 2020 | 262 | #975 | — | — |
| 2019 | 245 | #1,049 | — | — |
| 2018 | 235 | #1,082 | — | — |
| 2017 | 276 | #963 | 5 | #13,998 |
| 2016 | 306 | #909 | — | — |
| 2015 | 301 | #913 | — | — |
| 2014 | 327 | #847 | 5 | #13,806 |
| 2013 | 319 | #834 | — | — |
| 2012 | 329 | #816 | — | — |
| 2011 | 357 | #765 | — | — |
| 2010 | 356 | #772 | — | — |
| 2009 | 380 | #749 | — | — |
| 2008 | 432 | #700 | — | — |
| 2007 | 468 | #637 | — | — |
| 2006 | 497 | #587 | — | — |
| 2005 | 487 | #586 | — | — |
| 2004 | 536 | #530 | 7 | #9,806 |
| 2003 | 576 | #498 | — | — |
| 2002 | 615 | #464 | — | — |
| 2001 | 639 | #436 | — | — |
| 2000 | 693 | #409 | — | — |
| 1995 | 894 | #312 | — | — |
| 1990 | 1,687 | #172 | 13 | #4,372 |
| 1985 | 2,661 | #106 | 18 | #2,814 |
| 1980 | 4,704 | #62 | 19 | #2,603 |
| 1975 | 7,488 | #32 | 32 | #1,624 |
| 1970 | 15,738 | #15 | 52 | #1,155 |
| 1965 | 26,321 | #5 | 53 | #1,017 |
| 1960 | 39,208 | #2 | 81 | #841 |
| 1955 | 47,418 | #5 | 65 | #930 |
| 1950 | 38,017 | #5 | 57 | #916 |
| 1945 | 19,222 | #10 | 55 | #849 |
| 1940 | 6,756 | #36 | 27 | #1,307 |
| 1935 | 1,801 | #126 | 5 | #4,089 |
| 1930 | 1,003 | #192 | — | — |
| 1925 | 862 | #219 | — | — |
| 1920 | 850 | #225 | — | — |
| 1915 | 817 | #202 | 5 | #4,326 |
| 1910 | 395 | #173 | — | — |
| 1905 | 320 | #165 | — | — |
| 1900 | 410 | #144 | — | — |
| 1895 | 393 | #120 | — | — |
| 1890 | 354 | #115 | — | — |
| 1885 | 302 | #100 | — | — |
| 1880 | 286 | #80 | — | — |
Famous people named Susan
- Susan Sarandon Actor · b. 1946
- Susan Sontag Writer · 1933–2004
- Susan B. Anthony Social activist · 1820–1906
- Susan Boyle Singer · b. 1961
- Susan Hayward Actor · 1917–1975
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Susan mean?
A female given name from Hebrew.
How popular is the name Susan in 2025?
Susan ranked #1,091 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 222 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Susan?
1,126,022 babies have been named Susan in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Susan most popular?
Susan peaked in 1955, when 47,483 newborns received the name.
Is Susan a boy or girl name?
Susan is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Susan rising or falling?
Susan is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Susan?
Well-known people named Susan include Susan Sarandon (actor), Susan Sontag (writer), Susan B. Anthony (social activist).