Given name & surname
Susanna
“resembling a graceful white lily”
In English use, Susanna has a related form in Susannah. One Hebrew interpretation is “resembling a graceful white lily.”
Original GreekΣουσαννα
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Susanna has a related form in Susannah. One Hebrew interpretation is “resembling a graceful white lily.”
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is Hebrew.
How it developed
In Finnish usage, Susanna developed from the Ancient Greek form Σουσάννα.
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
In the Bible
In the Bible, the name Susanna appears in Luke 8:3.
From biblical name research
Susanna through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 19,987
- 0 boys · 19,987 girls
- Most popular year
- 1958
- 311 babies
- 2025
- 197
- #1,181 for girls
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- 0%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 197 U.S. birth records for girls, ranking No. 1,181 among girls’ names. Average annual use for girls was 0.5% higher in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for girls was 311 in 1958. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for girls with this name (18). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 18,587 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Susanna’s family of names
Susanna has an affectionate form in Susie. Susanna shares a linguistic root with Susan. In English usage, Susanna has a related form in Suzanne.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Susanna has relatives in 14 languages. Lines run from its Hebrew roots to each of them.
19 related names in 14 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 14
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 27
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Susananglicized form · English, Danish
- Shoshanaequivalent
- SusanaSpanish
- Suzieequivalent
- Suzetteequivalent
- Zanarelated form
- Zuzannacognate · Polish
- Shoshannaequivalent
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- Susyequivalent
- Susannequivalent
- Suzannequivalent
- Suziequivalent
- Zuzanacognate · Czech
- Sannerelated form
- Xuxarelated form
- Susiequivalent
- Suseequivalent
- שׁוֹשַׁנָּהequivalent
- سوزانequivalent
- سوسنequivalent
- ΣουζάναGreek
- Sousannaequivalent
- Zsuzsaequivalent
- Σουσάνναroot · Ancient Greek
- Zsuzsannacognate
- Siùsaidhcognate
- Siùsancognate
See also 13
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Susanna
- Susanna TamaroItalian writer (1957-)
- Susanna ClarkeBritish author (1959-)
- Susanna HoffsAmerican singer-songwriter, musician, and actressborn 1959
- Susanna ThompsonAmerican actressborn 1958
- Susanna AgnelliItalian politician, businesswoman and writer (1922–2009)
- Susanna KallurSwedish hurdlerborn 1981
- Susanna M. SalterAmerican politician and activist (1860–1961)
- Susanna MälkkiFinnish conductor and cellistborn 1969
- Susanna KaysenAmerican writerborn 1948
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Susanna, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Dinah
“(female) judge” · “judgment”
>99% girls
Deborah
“bee”
>99% girls
Pollyanna
Pollyanna is a feminine given name from Hebrew.
>99% girls
Mari
“a wished-for daughter”
4% boys · 96% girls
Tamera
“date palm”
>99% girls
Anne
“he (God) has favoured me (i.e. with a child)”
>99% girls
Jeanie
“God is gracious”
>99% girls
Lizabeth
“my God is bountiful”
>99% girls