Find out how popular the first name Sunshine has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Sunshine by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Sunshine is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 99% of people named Sunshine being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 76 female babies and 8 male babies born with the name Sunshine.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 8 baby boys were named Sunshine in 2023, despite it being a predominantly female name. We'd love to know why!

The history of the first name Sunshine

The name Sunshine is an English word name that emerged in the late 20th century as a unique baby name. It is derived from the English word "sunshine," which refers to the rays of the sun. The name reflects a sense of warmth, joy, and positivity.

While the name Sunshine has no direct historical or cultural origins, it draws inspiration from the sun's symbolic significance across various civilizations. The sun has been revered as a life-giving force and a symbol of power, fertility, and divinity in many ancient cultures, including those of Egypt, Greece, and various Native American tribes.

The earliest recorded use of the name Sunshine as a given name dates back to the 1960s. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this name was Sunshine Tengle, an American actress born in 1968. Another notable individual was Sunshine Parker, an American singer and songwriter born in 1971.

In the literary world, the name Sunshine gained prominence with the character Sunshine Corazón in the 1995 novel "The Folks That Live on the Hill" by Kingsley Amis. The name also appeared in the 2007 film "Sunshine," which explored the lives of a crew traveling towards the sun.

Other individuals who have borne the name Sunshine include Sunshine Cruz, a Filipino actress born in 1977, and Sunshine Dizon, another Filipino actress born in 1983. In the music industry, Sunshine Anderson, an American R&B singer, rose to fame in the early 2000s.

While not a traditional name with a deep historical roots, Sunshine has gained popularity as a unique and uplifting name choice in recent decades, reflecting the desire to imbue a sense of positivity and warmth into a child's identity.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Sunshine was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sunshine, please contact us.

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