Sonny

“Nickname for a young son; also a pet form of Sonia” — English origin

Boy's name · #298 in the US (2025) · Trending

Sonny is moving up the charts. First recorded in 1888, it stood at #298 in 2025 — its strongest showing yet; about 22,000 boys have been named Sonny along the way.

Around the world: #26 in Scotland (2025) · #28 in Ireland (2025) · #37 in Australia (QLD) (2025) · #40 in Australia (NSW) (2025) · #43 in Australia (VIC) (2025).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 46 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Sonnys

Sonny Rollins — American jazz saxophonist and composer (1930–2026)
Sonny Bono — American entertainer, musician and politician (1935–1998)
Sonny Chiba — Japanese actor and martial artist (1939–2021)
Sonny Liston — American boxer (c. 1930–1970)
Sonny Anderson — Brazilian footballer

In stories & tradition

Sonny Corleone — The Godfather · The Family Corleone
Sonny Seagull — Donald Duck universe
Sonny Duckworth — anthropomorphic bird

What Sonnys become

Among 422 notable people named Sonny:

Entertainers appear 2.45× more often than among typical names — e.g. Sonny Bono, American entertainer, musician and politician (1935–1998).

Similar names: Hank · Zohan · Johnny · Benson · Shiloh · Bodie

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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