Susan is a girl name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Susan means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Susan across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Susan has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Susan is a girl name of Hebrew origin meaning “lily”. a short form of Susanna.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 1,126,022 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 855 births |
| Scotland since 1974 | 6,567 births |
| Northern Ireland since 1997 | 69 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 8,597 births |
| New Zealand top 100, since 1954 | 12,686 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Susan per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1955 (47,483/yr) · Scotland peaked in 1974 (763/yr) · Ireland peaked in 1968 (393/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1996 (82/yr) · Northern Ireland peaked in 1998 (9/yr).
Susan has been one of the most popular baby names in the United States. It was most common in 1955, when it ranked #12 nationally (given to 47,483 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1950s.
Suzanne · Susanne · Suzan · Susana · Susanna · Susann · Suzann · Suzanna
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