Susan
Susan is a feminine given name, the usual English version of Susanna or Susannah. All are versions of the Hebrew name Shoshana, which is derived from the Hebrew shoshan, meaning lotus flower in Egyptian, original derivation, and several other languages.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Susan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Susan is a feminine given name, the usual English version of Susanna or Susannah. All are versions of the Hebrew name Shoshana, which is derived from the Hebrew shoshan, meaning lotus flower in Egyptian, original derivation, and several other languages.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Susan
American parents first put Susan on the record books as a baby girl name in 1880, with 286 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 1955, when 47,419 Susans were born — ranking #5 that year. The 1950s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 39% of all recorded Susans. In the latest 2026 data it stands at #1,195 among baby girl names with 200 births, falling sharply (-15%). In total, more than 1.1M Susans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Susan
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Susan. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Susan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Susan is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Susan
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In which U.S. states is Susan most popular?
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About the name Susan
Susan is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 1.1M births in the dataset. Susan's peak popularity came in 1955 when it ranked #2. Use the chart and map above to compare Susan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1955 →
- Names of the 1950s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.