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The short answer
Sullivan is a masculine name used in English and French. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish súil ‘eye’ and dubh ‘dark, black’ combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s." It ranked #314 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself from the given name Súileabhán, which was derived from Irish súil ‘eye’ and dubh ‘dark, black’ combined with a diminutive suffix. This name has achieved a moderate level of popularity in France since the 1970s. The entry lists its usage as English, French.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Sullivan ranked #314 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #314 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Sullivan in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sullivan mean?
Behind the Name does not give Sullivan a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from an Irish surname, the Anglicized form of Ó Súileabháin, itself.
Is Sullivan a popular name?
Sullivan ranked #314 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Sullivan a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Sullivan appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Sullivan — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
