Noah Boy
NOH-uh
“rest, comfort” · Hebrew
#2
Sully
UnisexIrish· “short form of Sullivan; dark eyes”
- Meaning
- short form of Sullivan; dark eyes
- Origin
- Irish
- Pronunciation
- SUL-ee
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #3,371
- US babies 2025
- 35
- Best rank
- #2,843 (2011)
- Peak year
- 2011
Meaning and origin of Sully
Sully is an Irish name that is usually said to mean “short form of Sullivan; dark eyes”.
Sully is a short form of Sullivan, an Irish surname from Ó Súileabháin, often explained as dark-eyed. It is said SUL-ee. The name is known through the airline pilot Chesley Sullenberger, called Sully, who landed a plane on the Hudson River. It also recalls Sulley, the monster in the film Monsters, Inc. As a given name it is informal and friendly, and it is often a short form of Sullivan on the birth certificate.
Popularity over time
Sully first appears in US Social Security records in 1993. It has never ranked in the national top 1,000, which keeps it genuinely uncommon. Its best national rank was #2,843 in 2011, the same year it reached its highest count of 42 babies. In 2025, 35 babies were named Sully, and it ranked #3,371 nationally. That is 106% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #7,325 in 2000, #3,366 in 2010, and #3,371 in 2025. Of the 680 US boys named Sully since records began, 38% were born in the 2010s, its biggest decade. The 2000s come next, with 210 babies.
Other babies' names that peaked around the same time include Micha, Eliya, Derin, An, and Taylan.
Gender, sound and spelling
Sully is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 20% of US babies named Sully were girls and 80% were boys.
Sully is usually pronounced SUL-ee, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with S and ends in “-ly”.
Middle names for Sully
A few middle names that flow with Sully: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Sully
Similar names
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Lists that include Sully
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sully mean?
Sully is an Irish name that is usually said to mean “short form of Sullivan; dark eyes”.
What is the origin of the name Sully?
Sully has Irish roots. Sully is a short form of Sullivan, an Irish surname from Ó Súileabháin, often explained as dark-eyed.
Is Sully a popular name?
Not especially. Sully ranked #3,371 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Sully a boy or girl name?
Sully is used for both boys and girls: over the last 20 years about 20% of US babies named Sully were girls and 80% were boys.
How do you pronounce Sully?
Sully is usually pronounced SUL-ee. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings