Sue

Sue: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning: “lily”
Origin: Hebrew
Say it: SOO · 1 syllable
Used for: Girls

Usually a short form of Susan/Susannah, from Hebrew Shoshannah. The exact original plant reference is debated, but 'lily' is the usual name-book gloss.

English names Names meaning flower Names meaning beauty Short names Classic names

How popular is Sue?

20243.9 per million US babies

Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Compare with another name

Babies named Sue in 202413

Peak year1946

Total US babies since 1880145,042

Sue is fading: recent use is about 42% of its level ten years before.

Names like Sue

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

Susanlily · Hebrew
Suzanlily · Hebrew
Elizabethmy God is an oath · Hebrew
Elianamy God has answered · Hebrew
Abigailmy father is joy · Hebrew
Naomipleasantness · Hebrew
Hannahgrace; favor · Hebrew
Maryuncertain, traditionally beloved or bitter · Hebrew

Sue questions

What does the name Sue mean?

Sue means "lily". It comes from Hebrew. Usually a short form of Susan/Susannah, from Hebrew Shoshannah. The exact original plant reference is debated, but 'lily' is the usual name-book gloss.

Is Sue a boy or girl name?

Sue is mainly a girl's name in US records (100% of uses since 1880).

How popular is Sue?

13 US babies were named Sue in 2024. Its peak year was 1946.

How do you pronounce Sue?

Sue is usually pronounced SOO.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.