boy's name
Sonny
SUN-ee
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 5
- Popularity Top 100 (E&W)
- Births on record 46,198
the United States
#298
2025 births
Sonny is a boy's name of English origin meaning exactly what it looks like — son. It began as an affectionate term of address rather than a name, and became a registered given name first in America and then, far more heavily, in Britain.
- Sonny is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in US records in 2025, when 1,192 babies were given the name.
- It has been rising over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 463 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- First appears in US birth records in 1888.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Sonny over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Sonny is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 7 |
| 1890s | 32 |
| 1900s | 87 |
| 1910s | 183 |
| 1920s | 386 |
| 1930s | 1,084 |
| 1940s | 1,207 |
| 1950s | 1,333 |
| 1960s | 1,430 |
| 1970s | 2,586 |
| 1980s | 2,409 |
| 1990s | 1,961 |
| 2000s | 2,336 |
| 2010s | 3,038 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 5,277 |
What Sonny means
Sonny means son, used as an endearment. It is one of very few given names in wide use that is simply an ordinary English word of address, with no older name behind it.
Where Sonny comes from
Sonny is the English word son with the familiar -y ending that turns any noun into an endearment, the same suffix behind daddy and auntie. It was in use as a term of address for a boy long before it was a name, and moved into registers as a nickname that stuck — the pattern that also produced Buddy and Junior. Its cultural weight is largely twentieth-century American: the 1927 film The Jazz Singer, the boxer Sonny Liston, the musician Sonny Bono, and Sonny Corleone in The Godfather.
Sonny in use
Our data shows Sonny peaking in 2025 and still rising, at 45 in England and Wales against 298 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1888. Britain has adopted it far more enthusiastically than America despite every one of its cultural associations being American.
How popular is Sonny?
In 2025, Sonny was given to 1,137 babies in England and Wales, ranking #45 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Where Sonny is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Sonny
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Sonny also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Sonny over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Sonny
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Sonny in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Sonny
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Sonny — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Sonny
What does the name Sonny mean?
Sonny means "son" — it is the ordinary English word used as an endearment, with no older name behind it.
Is Sonny a real given name?
Yes. Our records show it in United States birth data from 1888, and it is a top-50 name in England and Wales.
What is the difference between Sonny and Sunny?
Different words. Sonny is from son; Sunny is from the weather, and is more often given to girls.
How popular is the name Sonny?
In 2025, Sonny was given to 1,137 babies in England and Wales, ranking #45 that year. It is one of the most popular names in England and Wales.
Is Sonny a girl's or a boy's name?
Sonny is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Sonny?
Sonny has 2 syllables.
When was Sonny most popular?
Sonny peaked in 2025, when 1,192 babies were given the name. It has been rising over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Sonny?
Sonny is usually shortened to Son.
Is Sonny a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Sonny currently ranks #28 in the United States. It has been rising over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.