Sunshine
Girl name · #2936 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Sunshine? In official American birth records, Sunshine has been tracked continuously since 1905, giving it 120 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 57 baby girls were named Sunshine, placing it at #2936 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #2964, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 31,579 girls born in 2025 was named Sunshine.
Babies named Sunshine per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 120-year story
Sunshine first appears in the Social Security records in 1905, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1975, when 324 girls were named Sunshine — good for #533 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Sunshine against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sunshine in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sunshine is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sunshine will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sunshine is most common
State-level data for Sunshine is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Sunshine
Statistically, parents drawn to Sunshine tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Katharine, Susannah, Kristine, Suzanna, and Adrienne.
KatharineSusannahKristineSuzannaAdrienneCorrieCarrieCharity
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sunshine | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 57 | #2933 |
| 2024 | 66 | #2637 |
| 2023 | 77 | #2352 |
| 2022 | 69 | #2554 |
| 2021 | 72 | #2460 |
| 2020 | 75 | #2341 |
| 2019 | 65 | #2651 |
| 2018 | 73 | #2438 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2925 |
| 2016 | 52 | #3139 |
| 2015 | 58 | #2964 |
| 2014 | 46 | #3425 |
| 2013 | 63 | #2726 |
| 2012 | 70 | #2568 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2796 |
| 2010 | 74 | #2493 |
| 2009 | 68 | #2672 |
| 2008 | 75 | #2511 |
| 2007 | 88 | #2231 |
| 2006 | 65 | #2728 |
| 2005 | 109 | #1790 |
| 2004 | 86 | #2100 |
| 2003 | 78 | #2203 |
| 2002 | 92 | #1915 |
| 2001 | 78 | #2115 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sunshine?
In official American birth records, the name Sunshine first appeared in 1905 (over 120 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 120 years.
Is Sunshine a popular girl name?
Sunshine ranked #2936 among girls in 2025 with 57 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2964.
When was the name Sunshine most popular?
Sunshine peaked in 1975, when 324 American girls received the name (ranked #533 that year). Since 1975 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sunshine?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 31,579 newborn American girls was named Sunshine. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.