How to say it
SUN · ny
ˈsʌn.i
Feminine
Sunny
Sunshine, cheerful
What it means
An English word name from sunny: bright, warm, and cheerful.
Sunny is a word name lifted straight from the weather and the mood, bright, warm, and good-natured. It has long been used as an affectionate nickname and now stands on its own, the cheerful, feminine-leaning counterpart to the boys' Sonny. It reads upbeat and unpretentious, in the same disposition-name family as Joy and Merry.
How to spell Sunny
The standard spelling is Sunny. Common variants include Sunnie, Sonny, Sunshine, but Sunny is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #370 in 2024, currently #390 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Sunny is the cheerful, feminine-leaning spelling; Sonny is the boys' nickname.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Sunny Hostin American lawyer and co-host of The View
Spelling variants
- Sunnie
- Sonny
- Sunshine
Names with the same feeling
See Sunny from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Sunny mean?
- An English word name from sunny: bright, warm, and cheerful.
- What does Sunny mean in English?
- In English, Sunny means "Sunshine, cheerful." Sunny is a word name lifted straight from the weather and the mood, bright, warm, and good-natured. It has long been used as an affectionate nickname and now stands on its own, the cheerful, feminine-leaning counterpart to the boys' Sonny. It reads upbeat and unpretentious, in the same disposition-name family as Joy and Merry.
- How do you pronounce Sunny?
- Sunny is pronounced ˈsʌn.i. Say it as SUN-ny, with the stress on the "sun" syllable.
- How do you spell Sunny?
- The standard spelling is Sunny. Common spelling variants include Sunnie, Sonny, Sunshine.
- Is Sunny a boy or girl name?
- Sunny is traditionally a feminine name.
- How popular is the name Sunny?
- Sunny ranked #390 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.