Sullivan
Boy name · #314 in 2025 · Uniqueness 39/100
Sullivan is currently the #314 boy name in the United States — 1,083 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #455, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,662 boys born in 2025 was named Sullivan.
Babies named Sullivan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 141-year story
Sullivan first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 7 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 1,083 babies and a rank of #314. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sullivan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sullivan in class?
Sullivan scores 39 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Sullivan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sullivan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Sullivans were MN (75), TX (62), OH (61), MI (59), WI (48). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Sullivan
Statistically, parents drawn to Sullivan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Sutton, Ronan, Finnegan, Lachlan, and Lucian.
SuttonRonanFinneganLachlanLucianSantinoSamsonLochlan
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sullivan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,083 | #314 |
| 2024 | 1,016 | #339 |
| 2023 | 918 | #358 |
| 2022 | 901 | #366 |
| 2021 | 876 | #372 |
| 2020 | 770 | #398 |
| 2019 | 778 | #401 |
| 2018 | 822 | #388 |
| 2017 | 797 | #401 |
| 2016 | 783 | #409 |
| 2015 | 667 | #455 |
| 2014 | 634 | #462 |
| 2013 | 540 | #503 |
| 2012 | 548 | #489 |
| 2011 | 488 | #523 |
| 2010 | 371 | #647 |
| 2009 | 380 | #653 |
| 2008 | 332 | #705 |
| 2007 | 314 | #730 |
| 2006 | 203 | #930 |
| 2005 | 190 | #925 |
| 2004 | 177 | #949 |
| 2003 | 171 | #956 |
| 2002 | 159 | #988 |
| 2001 | 124 | #1129 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sullivan a popular boy name?
Sullivan ranked #314 among boys in 2025 with 1,083 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #455.
When was the name Sullivan most popular?
Sullivan peaked in 2025, when 1,083 American boys received the name (ranked #314 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Sullivan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,662 newborn American boys was named Sullivan. It scores 39/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.