The first name Susan
A girl’s name from Hebrew meaning “lily”.
Pronounced /ˈsuː.zən/ 2 syllables Female
Meaning and origin
Hebrew origin
Susan means “lily” in Hebrew.
English form of the biblical Susanna, from Biblical Hebrew שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (šōšannā, “lily”), ultimately from Egyptian z:S:n-M9 (zšn).
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 11 girls were named Susan, making it the 2,440th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 82 births (#397).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Susan with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Susan at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 222 girls born in the United States were named Susan, the 1,091st most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1955, when 47,418 were.
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.
Susan in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Famous people named Susan
240 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Susan SarandonAmerican actress and activist, born 1946
- Susan SontagAmerican writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist (1933–2004)
- Susan B. AnthonyAmerican women's rights activist (1820–1906)
- Susan BoyleBritish singer, born 1961
- Susan HaywardAmerican actress (1917–1975)
- Susan WojcickiAmerican business executive (1968–2024)
- Susan RiceAmerican diplomat and policy advisor (born 1964)
- Susan StrasbergAmerican film and stage actress (1938–1999)
- Susan KohnerAmerican actress, born 1936
- Susan SolomonAmerican atmospheric chemist, born 1956
- Susan BlakelyAmerican actress, born 1948
- Susan PetersAmerican actress (1921–1952)
More Hebrew girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Susan mean?
- Susan means “lily” in Hebrew.
- What is the origin of the name Susan?
- English form of the biblical Susanna, from Biblical Hebrew שׁוֹשַׁנָּה (šōšannā, “lily”), ultimately from Egyptian z:S:n-M9 (zšn).
- How popular is the name Susan?
- In 2025, 11 girls born in England and Wales were named Susan, ranking 2,440th. Its peak was 1996, with 82 births.
- What are nicknames for Susan?
- Common nicknames for Susan include Su, Sue.
- Is Susan a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 1,126,022 US babies named Susan since 1880 were girls.
- When was Susan most popular?
- 1955 in the United States, when 47,418 babies were named Susan, its highest rank at 5th.
- How do you pronounce Susan?
- Susan is /ˈsuː.zən/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Susan?
- Susanne.