Girls' name · since 1969
Sonal
Since 1969, U.S. Social Security records show 592 babies named Sonal, peaking in 1982. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #10,651 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 592
- born since 1969
- 1980s
- peak decade
592 girls have been named Sonal since 1969, though it isn't currently a top-ranked name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sonal has been recorded 592 times among girls since 1969, though it is not among the currently most-used girls names, with its heaviest use in the 1980s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1969 to 2012.
- #10,651 of 72,339 all-time among girls
- 592 born since 1969
- 1980s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Sonal ranks #10,651 of 72,339 girls' names by all-time recorded births (highest first). 592 born since 1969, peaking in the 1980s.
- #10,651 of 72,339
- all-time among girls
- 592
- born since 1969
- 1980s
- peak decade
Sonal's 592 recorded births place it above 85.27% of the 72,339 girls names in the full SSA archive.
The state file records this name in 5 jurisdictions, led by New Jersey.
Sonal's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Sonal's full recorded timeline at 1990, 34% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 66% in the earlier half -- the name was more prevalent in its earlier era than it is today. Its quietest year on record was 2005, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 1982 peak of 33 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Sonal popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1969–2012
- Peak year (1982)
- 33
- Annual births at peak, across 44 years of records
Sonal by decade
1980s is the heaviest window (192 births, 32% of the file).
1980s was Sonal's strongest decade.
192 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 32% of all-time use.
Sonal births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1960s 8
1960s
8 births
- 1970s
1970s
189 births
- 1980s
1980s
192 births
- 1990s
1990s
118 births
- 2000s 68
2000s
68 births
- 2010s 17
2010s
17 births
What this shows Peak: 1980s at 192 births (32% of all-time use).
How Sonal compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 girls names closest to Sonal's total volume
Sonal by state
Where Sonal concentrates geographically, total births since 1969
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Jersey | | 18 | 3.0% |
| #2 | California | | 17 | 2.9% |
| #3 | Illinois | | 15 | 2.5% |
| #4 | New York | | 15 | 2.5% |
| #5 | Texas | | 5 | 0.8% |
18 of 592 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sonal? ▼
Where does Sonal sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Sonal most popular? ▼
Where is Sonal most popular? ▼
How long has the name Sonal been used? ▼
What names are similar to Sonal? ▼
What to do with Sonal's data
- Sonal's decade-level peak was the 1980s (192 total births); usage has since declined to 17 in the 2010s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- New Jersey records the most Sonals (18 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New Jersey names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Sonal
Nearby Names Like Sonal
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sonal
Compare Sonal side by side: Sonal vs Sonia Sonal vs Sonya Sonal vs Sonja
Related Names
Names with a similar number of total births
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Sonal: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1982)
Similar record span (~43 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1969–2012 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Sonal draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.