Sonny
Say it: SUN-ee
BoyMeans from "sonny", a pet word for a young boy5 letters2 syllables
#28
in Ireland (2025)
#29 with spellings combined
171
babies in 2025
#29
best rank (2025)
1,164
babies since 2001
Up 192
10-year rank change
Sonny through the years
Compare with another name →Show the numbers
| Year | Babies (boys) | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 171 | #29 |
| 2024 | 147 | #38 |
| 2023 | 130 | #44 |
| 2022 | 125 | #53 |
| 2021 | 121 | #57 |
| 2020 | 77 | #83 |
| 2019 | 65 | #105 |
| 2018 | 58 | #118 |
| 2017 | 31 | #188 |
| 2016 | 51 | #130 |
| 2015 | 25 | #221 |
| 2014 | 24 | #231 |
| 2013 | 29 | #202 |
| 2012 | 29 | #202 |
| 2011 | 18 | #272 |
| 2010 | 13 | #322 |
| 2009 | 8 | #404 |
| 2008 | 4 | #601 |
| 2007 | 13 | #282 |
| 2006 | 6 | #385 |
| 2005 | 8 | #302 |
| 2004 | 4 | #440 |
| 2003 | 4 | #423 |
| 2001 | 3 | #409 |
Source: CSO, Irish Babies' Names (VSA50, VSA60), CC BY 4.0.
★ What does Sonny mean?
From "sonny", a pet word for a young boy
English, from the familiar word sonny, used when speaking to a boy or young man.
Say it right
SUNee
The story of Sonny
Sonny grew out of the friendly word sonny, which older people have long used when speaking to a boy or a young man. From there it became a nickname, and later a name in its own right. It has also served as a pet form of Italian names such as Salvatore and Santo.
Irish parents have taken to it only recently. It reached the CSO list in 2001 and stayed rare for about a decade. Since the mid-2010s it has climbed quickly, and 2025 was its best year so far, with 171 babies.
That year it was number 29 in 2025 on our combined count, and 28th on the CSO’s own ranking. It is less common in Northern Ireland, where it was 52nd in 2025, its best position there.
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Sources
- Wiktionary: Sonny (English proper noun)
- Wikipedia: Sonny
- CSO VSA50, Boys Names in Ireland with 3 or More Occurrences
- NISRA, Baby names in Northern Ireland
At a glance
Similar names
Sibling ideas
Spellings counted here
| Spelling | 2025 | All years |
|---|---|---|
| Sonny | 171 | 1,164 |
In Northern Ireland
#52 in 2025 with 41 babies. Best rank #52 (2025); 295 babies since 2006.
Source: NISRA, Open Government Licence.