Susan Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SOO-zan //ˈsuː.zən//
Origin: Hebrew; English
Meaning: Hebrew: lily; English: a variant of Susanna
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Susan has its roots in the Hebrew name Shoshannah, which means "lily" or "rose." This name was adopted into Greek as Sousanna and later into Latin as Susanna. The transition into Old French occurred during the medieval period, where it became Susanne, before finally entering the English language as Susan in the late Middle Ages.
The name's floral connotation has contributed to its enduring appeal, symbolizing beauty and purity. Historically, the name Susan is notably associated with biblical texts, particularly in the Book of Daniel, where Susanna is a virtuous woman who is wrongfully accused.
This story has been a significant part of Jewish and Christian traditions, often highlighted in religious teachings and art. The name gained further prominence in the Christian context through various saints named Susanna, particularly in the early centuries of the church, which helped solidify its place in Christian nomenclature.
Culturally, Susan has been embraced in various literary and artistic works, reinforcing its significance across different eras. The name has been used in notable literature, including works from the Renaissance to modern times, often embodying themes of virtue and resilience.
Additionally, diminutive forms such as Sue and Suzy have emerged, reflecting the name's adaptability and affection in familial and social contexts. Overall, Susan's historical and cultural resonance is deeply rooted in its etymological origins and the narratives that have surrounded it through centuries.
Famous people named Susan
In this section, you will find notable people named Susan. 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 Susan who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Susan 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.
Susan Sarandon is an actress best known for Thelma & Louise, Dead Man Walking, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Susan Boyle is a singer best known for her appearance on Britain's Got Talent and her debut album I Dreamed a Dream.
Susan Collins is a journalist best known for her work with NPR and as a correspondent for PBS NewsHour.
Susan B. Anthony was a social reformer best known for her role in the women's suffrage movement.
Susan Lucci is an actress best known for her role on All My Children and her appearances on various talk shows.
Susan Rice is a diplomat best known for her role as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations and National Security Advisor.
Susan Orlean is a journalist and author best known for The Orchid Thief and Rin Tin Tin: The Life and the Legend.
Fictional characters named Susan
The following list of fictional characters named Susan 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.
Susan Pevensie is a fictional character from the book series The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. She is one of the four Pevensie siblings who help to defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia.
Susan Storm is a fictional character from the Marvel Comics universe. She is a founding member of the Fantastic Four and possesses the ability to become invisible and create force fields.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Susan, 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 Susan. 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 Susan was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Susan has ranked as high as #12 nationally, which occurred in 1955, and has been most popular in New York, California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Ohio.
In the past 5 years the name Susan has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Susan 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 Susan was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Susan (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| PA | 30 | |
| OH | 16 | |
| NY | 16 | |
| TX | 15 | |
| CA | 12 | |
| IN | 11 | |
| MD | 9 | |
| MN | 7 | |
| CO | 6 | |
| FL | 6 | |
| TN | 6 | |
| UT | 5 | |
| VA | 5 | |
| NC | 5 |
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 Susan.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 213 |
| 2023 | 223 |
| 2022 | 211 |
| 2021 | 226 |
| 2020 | 262 |
| 2019 | 244 |
| 2018 | 235 |
| 2017 | 276 |
| 2016 | 306 |
| 2015 | 300 |
| 2014 | 327 |
| 2013 | 319 |
| 2012 | 328 |
| 2011 | 356 |
| 2010 | 356 |
| 2009 | 379 |
| 2008 | 431 |
| 2007 | 467 |
| 2006 | 495 |
| 2005 | 487 |
| 2004 | 531 |
| 2003 | 576 |
| 2002 | 615 |
| 2001 | 638 |
| 2000 | 693 |
| 1999 | 707 |
| 1998 | 758 |
| 1997 | 807 |
| 1996 | 963 |
| 1995 | 894 |
| 1994 | 1,025 |
| 1993 | 1,200 |
| 1992 | 1,373 |
| 1991 | 1,479 |
| 1990 | 1,687 |
| 1989 | 1,800 |
| 1988 | 2,060 |
| 1987 | 2,247 |
| 1986 | 2,389 |
| 1985 | 2,661 |
| 1984 | 3,116 |
| 1983 | 3,357 |
| 1982 | 3,969 |
| 1981 | 4,244 |
| 1980 | 4,704 |
| 1979 | 5,196 |
| 1978 | 5,418 |
| 1977 | 5,960 |
| 1976 | 6,403 |
| 1975 | 7,487 |
| 1974 | 8,471 |
| 1973 | 9,279 |
| 1972 | 10,574 |
| 1971 | 13,783 |
| 1970 | 15,739 |
| 1969 | 17,805 |
| 1968 | 19,504 |
| 1967 | 22,262 |
| 1966 | 23,775 |
| 1965 | 26,322 |
| 1964 | 31,515 |
| 1963 | 33,990 |
| 1962 | 35,750 |
| 1961 | 37,530 |
| 1960 | 39,208 |
| 1959 | 41,616 |
| 1958 | 45,172 |
| 1957 | 45,952 |
| 1956 | 46,562 |
| 1955 | 47,419 |
| 1954 | 47,162 |
| 1953 | 44,297 |
| 1952 | 41,348 |
| 1951 | 40,228 |
| 1950 | 38,017 |
| 1949 | 37,709 |
| 1948 | 35,988 |
| 1947 | 31,951 |
| 1946 | 28,268 |
| 1945 | 19,221 |
| 1944 | 16,330 |
| 1943 | 14,888 |
| 1942 | 12,015 |
| 1941 | 8,888 |
| 1940 | 6,756 |
| 1939 | 4,887 |
| 1938 | 3,555 |
| 1937 | 2,641 |
| 1936 | 2,153 |
| 1935 | 1,801 |
| 1934 | 1,492 |
| 1933 | 1,264 |
| 1932 | 1,227 |
| 1931 | 1,005 |
| 1930 | 1,003 |
| 1929 | 874 |
| 1928 | 812 |
| 1927 | 868 |
| 1926 | 858 |
| 1925 | 862 |
| 1924 | 832 |
| 1923 | 811 |
| 1922 | 795 |
| 1921 | 846 |
| 1920 | 850 |
| 1919 | 824 |
| 1918 | 912 |
| 1917 | 837 |
| 1916 | 844 |
| 1915 | 817 |
| 1914 | 661 |
| 1913 | 543 |
| 1912 | 522 |
| 1911 | 459 |
| 1910 | 395 |
| 1909 | 380 |
| 1908 | 350 |
| 1907 | 355 |
| 1906 | 326 |
| 1905 | 320 |
| 1904 | 324 |
| 1903 | 305 |
| 1902 | 335 |
| 1901 | 342 |
| 1900 | 410 |
| 1899 | 350 |
| 1898 | 382 |
| 1897 | 341 |
| 1896 | 343 |
| 1895 | 393 |
| 1894 | 357 |
| 1893 | 356 |
| 1892 | 366 |
| 1891 | 370 |
| 1890 | 354 |
| 1889 | 356 |
| 1888 | 363 |
| 1887 | 335 |
| 1886 | 323 |
| 1885 | 302 |
| 1884 | 326 |
| 1883 | 322 |
| 1882 | 326 |
| 1881 | 292 |
| 1880 | 286 |