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Sully

Boy name · 10 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Sully: 10 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 4 births in 2024.

Sully is most commonly a diminutive of Sullivan, an Irish surname rooted in the Gaelic *Ó Súileabháin*, meaning "descendant of Súileabhán"—a personal name combining *súil* (eye) and perhaps *leon* (lion), suggesting "one-eyed" or "hawk-eyed." The most famous bearer is the beloved actor Tom Hanks’ character in the animated *Cars* franchise, but the name gained real-world prominence through Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who landed a crippled airliner on the Hudson River in 2009. That event inspired a 2016 Clint Eastwood film, *Sully*. While no major place bears the name, the surname Sullivan is famously attached to Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina, named for an early settler. In Scotland, Sully remains a rare but friendly choice, often seen as a cheerful nickname standing alone.