Sonny
2025 SSA
2025 SSA
About Sonny
Sonny is one of the generic boy nickname names making a surprise reappearance, and it was recently used by actor Jason Lee. Another surprise: It's been on the US Top 1000 list every year since 1927, and as of 2023, it entered the Top 400 for the first time. Laidback Sonny is also popular in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Sonny for boys#298 US
Most celebrities who've gone by Sonny have had a formal birth name, including Sonny Bono (born Salvatore), Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Purdue (George Ervin), boxer Sonny Liston (Charles), and jazz musician Sonny Rollins (Theodore Walter). Even fictional Sonny Crockett on Miami Vice was born James.
Sonny for girls#3022 US
Sonny is one of the term of endearment names on the rise, and it feels like a fresh option for girls as an alternative spelling of bright nature name Sunny or a cute gender-bending nickname name.
Pronounced SUN-ee.
As of October 2026, Sonny ranked #298 in US births in 2025 SSA, Nameberry popularity #241.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #890 | 243 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #824 | 275 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #842 | 268 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #774 | 303 | #4,681 | 30 |
| 2018 | #663 | 382 | #4,342 | 33 |
| 2019 | #643 | 417 | #3,995 | 37 |
| 2020 | #538 | 526 | #3,271 | 48 |
| 2021 | #499 | 588 | #3,104 | 53 |
| 2022 | #428 | 725 | #3,308 | 49 |
| 2023 | #354 | 928 | #2,669 | 66 |
| 2024 | #335 | 1,034 | #2,761 | 62 |
| 2025 | #298 | 1,137 | #3,022 | 55 |
World rankings
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Sonny on lists
Famous Sonnys
- Salvatore Phillip "Sonny" BonoBoy
American singer and U.S. Congressman from California
- Charles L. "Sonny" ListonBoy
American boxer
- Sonny William "Sonny Bill" WilliamsBoy
New Zealand rugby player
- Sonny Douglas GrayBoy
American baseball pitcher
- Edward "Sonny" StittBoy
American jazz saxophonist
- Walter Theodore "Sonny" RollinsBoy
American jazz tenor saxophonist
- Edwin Bradfield Liloa "Sonny" ChillingworthBoy
American guitarist
- George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue IIIBoy
American politician; 81st Governor of Georgia
- Sonny John Moore aka SkrillexBoy
American electronic music producer
- Sonny Corey Uwaezuoke aka Sonny DigitalBoy
American rapper
- Sonny Sanford Rosenman (b. 2017)Boy
son of American television personality Whitney Port
- Sonny AshcroftBoy
son of musicians Kate Radley of Spiritualized and Richard Ashcroft of The Verve
- Sonny Jones (b. 2004)Boy
son of musicians Sophie Ellis,Bextor and Richard Jones
- Sonny Miller (b. 2006)Boy
son of actors Belinda Stewart,Wilson and Ben Miller
- Sonny Patrick MacDonald GallagherBoy
son of musician Noel Gallagher of Oasis
- Sonny Lee (born 2012)Boy
son of actor Jason Lee and Ceren Alkac
- Sonny White (b. 2013)Boy
son of musician Jason White of Green Day
- Sonny Donald Blake (b. 2014)Boy
son of actors Hamish Blake & Zoe Foster
- Lyric Sonny Roads Goldberg (b. 2014)Boy
son of Soleil Moon Frye and Jason Goldberg
- Sonny Grigg (b. 2014)Boy
son of Australian rules footballer Shaun Grigg
- Sonny John Ray (b. 2016)Boy
son of singer Brooke White and David Ray
- Otis Sonny David MacdonaldBoy
son of Leah Wood & Jack Macdonald
Sonny in pop culture
- Sonny St. JacquesBoy
character on TV's 'Laverne & Shirley'
- Sonny CorinthosBoy
characteron the American soap General Hospital
- Sonny ForelliBoy
villain of the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
- Santino "Sonny" CorleoneBoy
character from "The Godfather"
- Sonny KoufaxBoy
character in movie "Big Daddy"
- Sonny JoonBoy
character in HerInteractive's "The Shattered Medallion"
- SonnyBoy
character from the Broadway musical "In The Heights"
- Sonny GrotowskiBoy
character in film "Monster's Ball"
- Allison "Sonny" MunroeGirl
Character from "Sonny with a Chance"