Girl · #12,120 in 2026

Sundae

Name: Popularity of the name Sundae in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Sundae, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

A sundae is an ice cream frozen dessert of American origin that typically consists of one or more scoops of ice cream topped with a sweet sauce or syrup and other toppings such as sprinkles, whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate chips, M&M's, peanuts, cookies, chocolate brownies, maraschino cherries, or other fruits.

Current Rank

#12,120

Peak Rank

#2,586 (1966)

Total Babies

393

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1948

First Year

2024

Last Year

1966

Peak Year

#2586

Peak Rank

393

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Sundae

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

Etymology

The first recorded use in the Oxford English Dictionary , from an advertisement in Ithaca, New York, April 5, 1892, spells the word "Sunday": "Evidence suggests that the use of Sunday to designate an ice-cream dish of this kind originates with Chester Platt , proprietor of Platt and Colt's Pharmacy in Ithaca, New York, who is said to have served it ... after the Sunday church service on 3 April 1892. A letter from a patent attorney dated 24 March 1894 shows that Platt sought advice on trademark protection for the use of 'Sunday' for ice-cream novelties a few days earlier." The respelling as "s

Origin & history

Among the many stories about the invention of the sundae, a frequent theme is that the ice cream sundae was a variation of the popular ice cream soda . According to an account published by the Evanston Public Library (Illinois), the sale of soda was prohibited on Sundays in Illinois because they were considered too "frilly". Other origin stories for the sundae focus on the novelty or inventiveness of the treat or the name of the originator and make no mention of legal pressures. The ice cream sundae soon became the weekend semi-official soda fountain confection at the beginning of the 1900s an

The Story of Sundae

Sundae first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1948, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1966, when 22 Sundaes were born — ranking #2,586 that year. As of 2026, Sundae ranks #12,120 for baby girls with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 393 Sundaes have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1940s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Sundae

Phonetically similar names — useful when Sundae is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Sunday
Someday
Sunda
Sundew
Cindy
Sente
Sindy
Cyndi
Cente
Cindi
Sendai
Cinda

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sundae

What does the name Sundae mean?

How popular is Sundae in 2026?

In 2026, Sundae ranks #12,120 among girls' names in the U.S., with 7 babies given the name that year.

When was Sundae most popular?

Sundae reached its peak popularity in 1966, ranking #2,586 that year with 22 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Sundae most popular?

Sundae has historically been most popular in California. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Sundae.

Is Sundae a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Sundae is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Sundae?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Sundae include Lynnetta, Meshelle, Montina. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Sundae

Sundae is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1948 and has accumulated 393 births in the dataset. Sundae's peak popularity came in 1966 when it ranked #2,586. Use the chart and map above to compare Sundae's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.