Total births
15,635
Unisex name · since 1884
Sullivan
15,635 babies named Sullivan in U.S. Social Security records since 1884, with the highest year being 2025. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #339
- among boys today
- 15,635
- born since 1884
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
15,635 babies have been named Sullivan since 1884, making it today's #339 unisex name.
Sullivan has 15,635 recorded births among boys since 1884, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #339 as of the latest data, more common than 98% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1884 to 2025.
- #339 among boys today
- 15,635 born since 1884
- 2010s peak decade
- 98% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sullivan is currently the #339 unisex name in America, more common than 98% of boys - 15,635 born since 1884, peaking in the 2010s.
- #339
- among boys today
- 15,635
- born since 1884
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 98%
- more common than other boys
Sullivan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#339
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 98% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
41% of everyone ever named Sullivan was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
1,083 babies were named Sullivan in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Sullivan compares
15,635 Top 7% higher than 93% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Sullivan's all-time total is 43x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sullivan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 15,635 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 1,083 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sullivan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sullivan's SSA record in two at 1961 and the more recent half accounts for 95% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 5%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1886, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2025 peak of 1,083, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sullivan at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2025
Current rank
#339
Active since
1884
Sullivan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1884–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 1,083
- Annual births at peak, across 142 years of records
Sullivan popularity over time - girls
1,442 total births recorded since 1993 (Sullivan as girls' name)
Sullivan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Sullivan's strongest decade.
6,428 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 41% of all-time use.
Sullivan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 30
1880s
30 births
- 1890s 63
1890s
63 births
- 1900s 10
1900s
10 births
- 1910s 122
1910s
122 births
- 1920s 141
1920s
141 births
- 1930s 110
1930s
110 births
- 1940s 114
1940s
114 births
- 1950s 129
1950s
129 births
- 1960s 85
1960s
85 births
- 1970s 86
1970s
86 births
- 1980s 83
1980s
83 births
- 1990s 535
1990s
535 births
- 2000s 2,135
2000s
2,135 births
- 2010s
2010s
6,428 births
- 2020s
2020s
5,564 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 6,428 births (41% of all-time use).
How Sullivan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Sullivan's total volume
Sullivan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Sullivan by state
Where Sullivan concentrates geographically, total births since 1884
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Minnesota | | 822 | 5.3% |
| #2 | Ohio | | 805 | 5.1% |
| #3 | California | | 686 | 4.4% |
| #4 | Michigan | | 679 | 4.3% |
| #5 | Wisconsin | | 654 | 4.2% |
| #6 | South Carolina | | 633 | 4.0% |
| #7 | North Carolina | | 628 | 4.0% |
| #8 | Texas | | 620 | 4.0% |
Minnesota share of Sullivan's total US births 5.3%
Even split
822 of 15,635 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 46 reporting states.
Sullivan appears in 46 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sullivan? ▼
Sullivan has been given to 15,635 babies in the U.S. since 1884, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #339 as of the latest data. 1,083 babies were born in 2025, its single highest year.
When was Sullivan most popular? ▼
Sullivan was most popular in the 2010s decade with 6,428 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Sullivan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sullivan are Minnesota (822 births), Ohio (805 births), California (686 births).
Is Sullivan a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Sullivan is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 15,635 births, and as a girl's name it has 1,442 births.
How long has the name Sullivan been used? ▼
Sullivan has been recorded in Social Security data since 1884, spanning 142 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Sullivan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sultan, Sulaiman, Suleiman, Sulayman, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sullivan's data
- Sullivan's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (6,428 total births) through the 2020s (5,564) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Minnesota records the most Sullivans (822 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Minnesota names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Sullivan
Nearby Names Like Sullivan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sullivan
Sultan Boy
#1293 2,396 births
Sulaiman Boy
#1525 1,872 births
Suleiman Boy
#1789 1,048 births
Sulayman Boy
#3371 743 births
Sully Boy
#3579 680 births
Compare Sullivan side by side: Sullivan vs Sultan Sullivan vs Sulaiman Sullivan vs Suleiman
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sullivan
Ezequiel #338
20,811 births · Peak 2024
Joaquin #340
35,601 births · Peak 2008
Mathias #337
15,544 births · Peak 2025
Wade #341
76,498 births · Peak 1970
Sonny #336
22,327 births · Peak 2025
King #342
37,850 births · Peak 2017
Colin #335
133,706 births · Peak 2004
Damien #343
64,757 births · Peak 2007
Data Sources
Data as of June 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, 1884–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sullivan: #339 Unisex Name - 15,635 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sullivan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
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 Sullivan 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 June 2026.