Given name & surname
Susan
“resembling a graceful white lily”
Susan is a variant of Susannah. One Hebrew interpretation is “resembling a graceful white lily.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
Susan is a variant of Susannah. One Hebrew interpretation is “resembling a graceful white lily.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Susan is a variant of Susannah. An origin associated with Susannah is Hebrew.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Susan is used as a form of Susanna.
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
Susan through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 1,126,022
- 2,541 boys · 1,123,481 girls
- Most popular year
- 1955
- 47,483 babies
- 2025
- 222
- #1,091 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −17%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 222 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,091 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 17.0% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 47,418 in 1955. In 2025, Pennsylvania had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (26). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 979,771 as a first name in 2020; 815 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.
Susan’s family of names
In English usage, Susan has a diminutive in Sue. Susan shares a linguistic root with Susanna. In English usage, Susan has a related form in Suzanne.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Susan has relatives in 40 languages.
51 related names in 40 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 20
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 2
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 50
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Susannacognate · Swedish, Italian
- Shoshanarelated form
- SusanaSpanish, Portuguese
- Azucenadoublet · English
- Suzetteequivalent
- ZuzannaPolish, Latvian
- Suzannahequivalent
- SuzanaSerbo-Croatian, Lithuanian
Show 42 moreShow fewer
- Susannequivalent
- Susiequivalent
- Suzannequivalent
- Sussanequivalent
- Suzaneequivalent
- Susanoequivalent
- ZuzanaCzech, Slovak
- Susaneequivalent
- Suseequivalent
- Сусаннаequivalent
- שושנהequivalent
- Souzaneequivalent
- СьюзенRussian
- ᓲᓴᓐborrowing · Inuktitut
- ΣουζάναGreek
- Huhanarelated form
- Zuzarelated form
- Zsa Zsarelated form
- Siùsanrelated form
- SiwsanWelsh
- СузанаSerbo-Croatian
- SusánnáNorthern Sami
- Сью́занRussian
- Сюза́ннаRussian
- Суса́ннаRussian
- سوزانPersian
- HūhanaMāori
- Суза́наMacedonian
- Су́занаMacedonian
- 수잔Korean
- スーザンJapanese
- SúsannaIcelandic, Faroese
- ZsuzsaHungarian
- ZsuzsannaHungarian
- שׁוֹשַׁנָּהHebrew
- KukanaHawaiian
- SuusaatGreenlandic
- ΣούζανGreek
- ΣουσάνναGreek
- ՇուշանArmenian
- سْوْزَانArabic
- SyzanaAlbanian
See also 8
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Susan
- Susan SarandonAmerican actress and activistborn 1946
- Susan SontagAmerican writer and filmmaker, professor, and activist (1933–2004)
- Susan B. AnthonyAmerican women's rights activist (1820–1906)
- Susan BoyleBritish singerborn 1961
- Susan HaywardAmerican actress (1917–1975)
- Susan WojcickiAmerican business executive (1968–2024)
- Suzi QuatroAmerican rock musician (born 1950)
- Susan CollinsUnited States Senator from Maine since 1997born 1952
- Susan RiceAmerican diplomat and policy advisor (born 1964)
Characters named Susan: Susan Pevensie (fictional English girl, a lead character in the first two Narnia books), Susan Mayer (fictional character on Desperate Housewives), Susan Calvin (the Foundation universe by Isaac Asimov), Susan Sto Helit (Terry Pratchett's Discworld series).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Susan, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Rosalyn
In English use, Rosalyn is used as a form of Rosalind.
>99% girls
Roslyn
“a little red-haired boy”
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Roxanne
“born with the morning's first light”
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Sandra
“helper and defender of mankind”
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Sharon
“rose of Sharon” · “from the plains; a flowering shrub”
1% boys · 99% girls
Joni
“God is gracious”
14% boys · 86% girls
Charlene
“a small, strong woman”
>99% girls
Jana
“God is gracious” · “he answers”
>99% girls