Sullivan
SUH-luh-vuhn
Sullivan is an Irish surname turned given name, derived from the Gaelic Ó Súilleabháin, meaning “descendant of Súilleabhán.” The personal name Súilleabhán is generally interpreted as “little dark-eyed one,” from the elements súil (eye) and dubh
(dark), with the diminutive suffix -án.
The O’Sullivan clan was one of the most prominent Gaelic families in Munster, particularly County Kerry and County Cork.
What the name Sullivan means
The shift from surname to first name accelerated in the early 2000s, part of a wave that also elevated names like Riley, Brady, and Kennedy.
Sullivan reached its all-time SSA peak in 2024 at No. 45515, reflecting 9 consecutive years of growth. This trajectory places it among the fastest-climbing Irish surname names in the current generation.
Cultural associations include the classic 1944 film Sullivan’s Travels by Preston Sturges and the animated film Monsters, Inc. (2001), whose protagonist James P.
“Sully” Sullivan introduced the name to a generation of young parents. The built-in nickname Sully offers a casual counterpart to the formal 3-syllable name.
The O’Sullivan surname ranks as the 3rd most common in Ireland, and Sullivan (without the O’) appears frequently in American records due to 19th-century Irish immigration.
As a first name, Sullivan occupies a distinctive position: recognizably Irish without being as widely used as Declan or Liam.
The name’s phonetic structure - stress on the first syllable, with a soft landing on -van - gives it a rhythm similar to Donovan and Callahan, both of which have also transitioned from surname to given name.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Sullivan
Sullivan - similar names
Not seeing what you want? Browse all names by origin or popularity