Sibling names for Susan
Names that sound like they belong in the same family as Susan usually share its era. These sister and brother names rose and fell on a similar curve to Susan, whose busiest decade was the 1950s, and are about as common, so neither child's name will feel dated or unusual next to the other.
Sister names for Susan
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lynn | lake or pool (surname) | #2,558 | 303 | 1950s |
| Brenda | #1,527 | 915 | 1950s | |
| Connie | pet form of Constance | #3,075 | 245 | 1950s |
| Karen | Danish form of Catherine | #1,281 | 1,015 | 1950s |
| Pamela | coined by Philip Sidney (meaning unknown) | #2,251 | 479 | 1950s |
| Cheryl | 20th-century coinage (Cherie/Cherry + Beryl) | #4,376 | 193 | 1950s |
| Kathleen | Irish form of Catherine | #1,156 | 1,162 | 1950s |
| Donna | lady | #1,965 | 506 | 1950s |
Brother names for Susan
| Name | Meaning | Rank 2025 | Babies, last 5 years | Peak decade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Terry | from Thierry (Theodoric); or short for Terence, Theresa | #1,116 | 1,015 | 1950s |
| Danny | pet form of Daniel, 'God is my judge' | #628 | 2,331 | 1950s |
| Bruce | #536 | 2,735 | 1950s | |
| Gary | spear (from names in Gar-/Ger-) | #1,073 | 1,081 | 1950s |
| Randall | from Randolph: shield wolf | #1,506 | 692 | 1950s |
| Douglas | black stream | #807 | 1,595 | 1950s |
| Dennis | follower of Dionysus (Greek) | #707 | 1,992 | 1950s |
| Johnny | pet form of John ('God is gracious') | #458 | 3,605 | 1950s |
| Gregory | watchful, alert | #593 | 2,828 | 1960s |
Susan's era
Susan ranked #1,091 for girls in 2025, against #913 in 2015. Its best year was 1957, at #2. Names that rose and fell with it share its period feel, which keeps the set consistent.
Timeless names that go with any sibling
These names have been used steadily for a hundred years, so they sit comfortably next to a name from any era, Susan included.
Girls: Elizabeth, Maria, Lydia, Cecilia, Julia, Miriam. Boys: Anthony, Wesley, Vincent, Calvin, Victor, Oscar.
Same era, but close to Susan
These names follow Susan's curve too, but we left them out above because they share a first letter or an ending with Susan. Some parents like that echo; if you do, start here.
How these were chosen
Each suggestion's share of US babies has followed a curve close to Susan's since 1880, and its recent number of babies is within about twelve times Susan's, so the names are in the same league. Names starting with the same letter as Susan or with the same ending are left out, so the names go together without matching. Spellings of Susan itself are excluded.