Given name & surname
Sue
“resembling a graceful white lily”·“having an excellent, long life”
Sue is a variant of Susannah. One Hebrew interpretation is “resembling a graceful white lily.” Sue has an alternative spelling in Soo. One Korean interpretation is “having an excellent, long life.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Sue is a variant of Susannah. One Hebrew interpretation is “resembling a graceful white lily.” Sue has an alternative spelling in Soo. One Korean interpretation is “having an excellent, long life.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Sue is a variant of Susannah. An origin associated with Susannah is Hebrew. Sue has an alternative spelling in Soo. An origin associated with Soo is Korean.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Sue is used as a shortened form of Susan.
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin.
From dated birth records
Sue through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 145,055
- 519 boys · 144,536 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 5,318 babies
- 2025
- 11
- #9,387 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −2%
- Steady
Boys, girls and both
The balance of boys and girls given this name has shifted over time. Recent births are 0% boys.
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 11 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 9,387 among girls’ names. The recent annual counts are too incomplete to establish a ten-year comparison. Its largest published annual count for girls was 5,306 in 1947. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 99,611 as a first name in 2020; 1,901 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Sue’s family of names
In English usage, Sue is a diminutive of Susan. In English usage, Sue has a related form in Su. Sue is a short form of Susan.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Sue has relatives in 8 languages.
12 related names in 8 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 6
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 21
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Sue
- Sue GardnerCanadian journalistborn 1967
- Sue GraftonAmerican writer from Kentucky (1940-2017)
- Sue LyonAmerican actress (1946–2019)
- Sue BirdAmerican basketball player (born 1980)
- Sue TownsendEnglish writer and humorist1946–2014
- Sue BarkerEnglish television presenter and former professional tennis playerborn 1956
- Sue Monk Kiddnovelistborn 1948
- Sue HendricksonAmerican paleontologist and archeologistborn 1949
- Sue CarolAmerican actress, talent agent (1906–1982)
Characters named Sue: Sue Sylvester (the television series Glee), Sue Ellen Ewing (fictional human).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Sue, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Joanne
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Ginger
“a lively woman; resembling the spice”
>99% girls
Sasha
“helper and defender of people”
8% boys · 92% girls
Amanda
“one who is much loved”
>99% girls
Bobbie
“one who is bright with fame” · “foreign woman”
8% boys · 92% girls
Sandy
“helper and defender of mankind” · “from the sandy crossing”
13% boys · 87% girls
Jacqueline
“the supplanter”
>99% girls
Suetta
>99% girls