Sally Girl

Popularity: #748 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SAL-ee //ˈsæli//

Origin: Hebrew; English

Meaning: Hebrew: Princess; English: Diminutive of Sarah

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Sally is derived from the Hebrew name Sarah, which means "princess" or "noblewoman." The name Sarah was adopted into Greek as Σάρα (Sara) and later into Latin as Sara, before making its way into Old French as Sarra. From Old French, it transitioned into English, where it became popularized as Sally, particularly as a diminutive form of Sarah.

This linguistic evolution reflects the broader patterns of name adaptation across cultures and languages, showcasing the enduring appeal of the name's original meaning. Historically, the name Sarah appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac, a significant figure in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions.

The name has been borne by various saints and notable figures throughout history, contributing to its longevity and cultural resonance. The use of Sally as a standalone name became more prominent in the 17th century, particularly in English-speaking countries, where it was often used affectionately or informally.

Culturally, Sally has been associated with qualities of grace and nobility, reflecting its roots in the meaning of "princess." The name has appeared in various literary works and folk traditions, reinforcing its place in the cultural lexicon. Additionally, diminutive forms such as Sal have emerged, further enriching the name's historical context.

Overall, Sally embodies a blend of linguistic heritage and cultural significance that has allowed it to endure through the centuries.

Famous people named Sally

In this section, you will find notable people named Sally. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Sally who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Sally who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Sally Field is an actress best known for Norma Rae, Places in the Heart, and Steel Magnolias.

Sally Ride was an astronaut best known for being the first American woman in space and her work on the Space Shuttle Challenger.

Sally Jessy Raphael is a television personality best known for The Sally Jessy Raphael Show.

Sally Hawkins is an actress best known for The Shape of Water, Paddington, and Happy-Go-Lucky.

Sally McLellan is a former Australian athlete best known for her achievements in track and field, particularly in the 400 meters.

Fictional characters named Sally

The following list of fictional characters named Sally is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Sally is a fictional character from the film The Nightmare Before Christmas. She is a kind-hearted rag doll who helps Jack Skellington realize the importance of love and belonging.

Sally Jackson is a fictional character from the book series Percy Jackson & the Olympians. She is the caring mother of the protagonist, Percy Jackson, and plays a crucial role in his life and adventures.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Sally, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Sally. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Sally was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Sally has ranked as high as #140 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Ohio.

In the past 5 years the name Sally has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Sally is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Sally was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Sally.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 201 0 201
2024 225 0 225
2023 171 0 171
2022 176 0 176
2021 192 0 192
2020 200 0 200
2019 161 0 161
2018 195 0 195
2017 245 0 245
2016 211 0 211
2015 222 0 222
2014 209 0 209
2013 218 0 218
2012 208 0 208
2011 212 0 212
2010 214 0 214
2009 227 0 227
2008 227 0 227
2007 253 0 253
2006 244 0 244
2005 244 0 244
2004 265 0 265
2003 226 0 226
2002 263 0 263
2001 301 0 301
2000 332 0 332
1999 327 0 327
1998 328 0 328
1997 337 0 337
1996 365 0 365
1995 390 0 390
1994 399 0 399
1993 445 0 445
1992 501 5 496
1991 536 6 530
1990 555 6 549
1989 536 0 536
1988 543 0 543
1987 533 5 528
1986 592 0 592
1985 567 0 567
1984 615 0 615
1983 660 0 660
1982 633 0 633
1981 718 5 713
1980 746 6 740
1979 735 0 735
1978 779 0 779
1977 789 0 789
1976 906 7 899
1975 956 7 949
1974 964 7 957
1973 951 0 951
1972 908 0 908
1971 1,061 0 1,061
1970 1,256 9 1,247
1969 1,316 7 1,309
1968 1,411 9 1,402
1967 1,638 0 1,638
1966 1,839 5 1,834
1965 2,326 8 2,318
1964 2,718 10 2,708
1963 2,755 11 2,744
1962 3,185 10 3,175
1961 3,468 6 3,462
1960 3,766 12 3,754
1959 4,077 9 4,068
1958 4,320 15 4,305
1957 4,005 12 3,993
1956 4,356 10 4,346
1955 4,698 10 4,688
1954 5,083 5 5,078
1953 5,194 11 5,183
1952 5,047 10 5,037
1951 5,149 11 5,138
1950 4,876 6 4,870
1949 4,783 10 4,773
1948 5,022 10 5,012
1947 5,279 14 5,265
1946 4,856 14 4,842
1945 3,982 0 3,982
1944 4,402 14 4,388
1943 4,684 25 4,659
1942 4,678 23 4,655
1941 3,986 21 3,965
1940 3,823 20 3,803
1939 4,259 15 4,244
1938 4,290 12 4,278
1937 3,951 26 3,925
1936 3,655 20 3,635
1935 3,726 15 3,711
1934 3,738 13 3,725
1933 3,164 18 3,146
1932 2,929 12 2,917
1931 2,570 13 2,557
1930 2,556 14 2,542
1929 2,220 8 2,212
1928 1,897 6 1,891
1927 1,640 10 1,630
1926 1,474 10 1,464
1925 1,317 7 1,310
1924 1,153 8 1,145
1923 1,004 5 999
1922 972 0 972
1921 891 0 891
1920 965 7 958
1919 991 0 991
1918 1,094 8 1,086
1917 1,038 9 1,029
1916 1,226 5 1,221
1915 1,127 6 1,121
1914 1,065 0 1,065
1913 888 9 879
1912 821 0 821
1911 535 0 535
1910 553 0 553
1909 470 0 470
1908 443 0 443
1907 387 0 387
1906 358 0 358
1905 303 0 303
1904 278 0 278
1903 288 0 288
1902 266 0 266
1901 214 0 214
1900 287 0 287
1899 185 0 185
1898 199 0 199
1897 206 0 206
1896 185 0 185
1895 162 0 162
1894 168 0 168
1893 134 0 134
1892 160 0 160
1891 115 0 115
1890 154 0 154
1889 123 0 123
1888 142 0 142
1887 112 0 112
1886 104 0 104
1885 107 0 107
1884 95 0 95
1883 73 0 73
1882 95 0 95
1881 79 0 79
1880 80 0 80

Top States for Sally (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 26
14%
NY 17
9%
TX 15
8%
GA 13
7%
PA 10
5%
NC 10
5%
OH 10
5%
FL 8
4%
ID 7
4%
IL 7
4%
TN 7
4%
AL 7
4%
VA 7
4%
WA 7
4%
MN 6
3%
CO 6
3%
MI 6
3%
OR 6
3%
MA 5
3%
AR 5
3%