Susan

“Variant of Susanna — Lily; lotus flower” — Egyptian via Hebrew and Greek origin

Girl's name · #1091 in the US (2025) · Heirloom

Susan belongs to an older America first — it reached #2 back in 1957 — yet it still appears in today's records at #1091. About 1.1 million girls have carried it since 1880. In all that time it has never once missed a year of the national records. Susan's short forms are Susie, Suzy, Suzi, Suzie, and Su. Earlier generations knew Sue — the standard of the 1950s.

Around the world: about 1 in 10,000 girls in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 22 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Susans

Susan Sarandon — American actress and activist
Susan Sontag — American writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist (1933–2004)
Susan B. Anthony — American women's rights activist (1820–1906)
Susan Boyle — British singer
Susan Hayward — American actress (1917–1975)

In stories & tradition

Susan (Invisible Woman) — Fantastic Four · The Fantastic Four
Susan Pevensie — The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe · Prince Caspian
Susan Mayer — Desperate Housewives

What Susans become

Among 3,747 notable people named Susan:

Scientists & scholars appear 1.57× more often than among typical names — e.g. Susan Sontag, American writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist (1933–2004).

Similar names: Susannah · Cynthia · Suttyn · Sharon · Karen · Ann

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

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