Sullivan
An Irish surname anglicized from O Suilleabhain, descendant of Suileabhan. That name is built on suil, meaning eye, and is usually read as dark-eyed or one-eyed.
Sullivan in 2025
Sullivan was given to 1,157 babies in the United States in 2025 — 1,083 boys and 74 girls, making it the 573rd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 2,865 babies born.
The history of Sullivan
Sullivan reached its highest point in 2025, when 1,157 babies were given the name, ranking 573rd that year.
Across the 142 years of records since 1884, 17,077 babies have been named Sullivan. Half of them were born before 2017, which places the name's centre of gravity with Generation Alpha.
Sullivan by decade
| Decade | Babies named Sullivan | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 30 | 1,502 |
| 1890s | 63 | 1,530 |
| 1900s | 10 | 2,067 |
| 1910s | 122 | 2,828 |
| 1920s | 141 | 3,713 |
| 1930s | 110 | 3,540 |
| 1940s | 114 | 3,555 |
| 1950s | 129 | 4,135 |
| 1960s | 85 | 5,183 |
| 1970s | 86 | 7,455 |
| 1980s | 83 | 9,314 |
| 1990s | 619 | 2,874 |
| 2000s | 2,382 | 1,296 |
| 2010s | 7,033 | 726 |
| 2020s | 6,070 | 573 |
Where Sullivan is heading
Sullivan has risen 57% over the past decade, from 737 babies in 2015 to 1,157 in 2025.
Names like Sullivan
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Sullivan.