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Name Lineage

    The first name Sonny

    A boy’s name.

    Pronounced /ˈsəni/ 2 syllables Male

    Meaning and origin

    A male given name from English.

    Sonny is a short form of

    .

    From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).

    Popularity

    Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025

    In 2025, 1,137 boys were named Sonny, making it the 45th most popular boys’ name.

    01,0002,000 1996200020052010201520202025
    16,172
    babies named Sonny, 1996–2025
    #45
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Sonny with other names.

    Popularity in the United States

    Babies named Sonny at birth, 1880–2025

    In 2025, 1,137 boys born in the United States were named Sonny, the 298th most popular boys’ name that year.

    01,0002,000 188018851890189519001905191019151920192519301935194019451950195519601965197019751980198519901995200020052010201520202025
    GirlsBoys
    23,356
    babies named Sonny since 1880
    #298
    rank in 2025
    2025
    peak year

    US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.

    Famous people named Sonny

    30 on Wikidata, most written-about first

    • Sonny Liston
      American boxer (c. 1930–1970)
    • Sonny Perdue
      American politician, born 1946
    • Sonny Terry
      American Piedmont blues musician (1911–1986)
    • Sonny Kittel
      German association football player, born 1993
    • Sonny Stitt
      American jazz saxophonist (1924-1982)
    • Sonny Fortune
      American saxophonist (1939–2018)
    • Sonny Weems
      American basketball player (born 1986)
    • Sonny Curtis
      American musician (1937–2025)
    • Sonny Sandoval
      American rapper and singer (born 1974)
    • Sonny Silooy
      Dutch footballer and manager, born 1963
    • Sonny Greer
      American jazz drummer (1895–1982)
    • Sonny Tufts
      American actor (1911-1970)

    Questions

    How popular is the name Sonny?
    In 2025, 1,137 boys born in England and Wales were named Sonny, ranking 45th.
    Is Sonny a boy's or a girl's name?
    Mostly a boy's name: 96% of the 23,356 US babies named Sonny since 1880 were boys.
    When was Sonny most popular?
    2025 in the United States, when 1,137 babies were named Sonny, its highest rank at 298th.
    How do you pronounce Sonny?
    Sonny is /ˈsəni/, 2 syllables.