Sonny is a common

nickname A nickname is a substitute for the proper name of a familiar person, place or thing. Commonly used to express affection, a form of endearment, and sometimes amusement, it can also be used to express defamation of character. As a concept, it is ...

and occasional

given name A given name (also known as a forename or first name) is the part of a personal name quoted in that identifies a person, potentially with a middle name as well, and differentiates that person from the other members of a group (typically a fa ...

. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in North America, amongst Italian Americans), or the Slavic male name Slavon meaning "famous or glorious". Notable people with the name include:

Athletes

*Charles

Sonny Ates Charles "Sonny" Ates (March 28, 1935 – October 25, 2010) was an American racecar driver. Biography Ates was born in Sellersburg, Indiana. He raced in the USAC Championship Car series in the 1968–1970 seasons, with 15 career starts, including ...

(1935–2010), retired American racecar driver *Erwin

Sonny Bishop Ervin Wilfred "Sonny" Bishop (born October 1, 1939 in Winner, South Dakota) is a former college and Professional Football player. An offensive lineman, he played college football at Fresno State University, and played professionally in the Ameri ...

(born 1939), American football player *Shin'ichi Sonny Chiba (born 1939), Japanese martial artist and actor *

Sonny Gray Sonny Douglas Gray (born November 7, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Minnesota Twins of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played for the Oakland Athletics, New York Yankees, and Cincinnati Reds. Gray attended ...

(born 1989), American baseball pitcher * Sidney "Sonny" Hertzberg (1922–2005), American basketball player *

Sonny Holland Allyn A. "Sonny" Holland (March 22, 1938 – December 3, 2022) was an American football player and coach. He was the head coach at his alma mater, Montana State University in Bozeman, from 1971 to 1977. Holland led the Bobcats to two Big Sky ti ...

(1938-2022), American football coach and player *Ernest Sonny Hutchins (1929–2005), stock car driver *Christian

Sonny Jurgensen Christian Adolph "Sonny" Jurgensen III (born August 23, 1934) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins. He was inducted int ...

(born 1934), American Hall-of-Fame National Football League quarterback *

Sonny Liles Elvin Maerle "Sonny" Liles (August 9, 1919 – July 25, 2005) was an American football guard who played three seasons in the National Football League with the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Rams. He played college football at Oklahoma A&M College and ...

(1919–2005), American football player *Charles

Sonny Liston Charles L. "Sonny" Liston ( 1930 – December 30, 1970) was an American professional boxer who competed from 1953 to 1970. A dominant contender of his era, he became the world heavyweight champion in 1962 after knocking out Floyd Patterson i ...

(c. 1930–1970), American heavyweight boxer *Robert Sonny Parker (born 1955), American former basketball player *Wilfred

Sonny Siebert Wilfred Charles "Sonny" Siebert (born January 14, 1937) is a former Major League Baseball right-handed pitcher from 1964 to 1975. He finished with a record of 140-114 and a 3.21 ERA. He threw a no-hitter on June 10, 1966, against the Washingto ...

(born 1937), American former baseball pitcher *Jan Sonny Silooy (born 1963), Dutch former footballer *Anderson da Silva (born 1970), known as

Sonny Anderson Anderson da Silva (born 19 September 1970), better known as Sonny Anderson, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a striker. A prolific goalscorer at the club level, he was best known for his spells with Lyon, Monaco (he pl ...

, Brazilian retired footballer *

Sonny Weems Clarence "Sonny" Weems (born July 8, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Shanxi Loongs of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He played college basketball for the University of Arkansas and the University of Arkansas ...

(born 1986), American expatriate basketball player *

Sonny Bill Williams Sonny Bill Williams (born 3 August 1985) is a New Zealand heavyweight boxer, and a former professional rugby league and rugby union player and as of recently is working for Stan Sports. He is only the List of dual-code rugby internationals#New ...

(born 1985), New Zealand former rugby league and rugby union player

Jazz musicians

*Saul Sonny Berman (1925–1947), American trumpeter *Joseph Sonny Burke (1914–1980), American big band leader *Conrad Sonny Clark (1931–1963), American pianist *George Sonny Cohn (1925–2006), American trumpeter *William Sonny Criss (1927–1977), American saxophonist *Francis Sonny Dallas (1931–2007), American bassist * Sonny Fortune (1939–2018), American saxophonist and flautist *Herbert Sonny Greenwich (born 1936), Canadian guitarist *

Sonny Greer William Alexander "Sonny" Greer (December 13, c. 1895 – March 23, 1982) was an American jazz drummer and vocalist, best known for his work with Duke Ellington. Biography Greer was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, United States, and play ...

(1895–1982), American drummer *Percival

Sonny Payne Sonny Payne (May 4, 1926 – January 29, 1979) was an American jazz drummer, best known for his work with Count Basie and Harry James. Biography Payne's father was Wild Bill Davis's drummer Chris Columbus. After early study with Vic Berton, i ...

(1926–1979), American drummer *

Sonny Red Sylvester Kyner Jr. (December 17, 1932 – March 20, 1981), known as Sonny Red, was an American jazz alto saxophonist and composer associated with the hard bop idiom among other styles. Sonny Red played with Art Blakey, Curtis Fuller, Paul Quin ...

(1932–1981), American alto saxophonist *Walter Theodore

Sonny Rollins Walter Theodore "Sonny" Rollins (born September 7, 1930) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist who is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential jazz musicians. In a seven-decade career, he has recorded over sixty albums as a ...

(born 1930), American saxophonist *Warren Sonny Sharrock (1940–1994), American guitarist *Huey Sonny Simmons (1933–2021), American saxophonist and English horn player *

Sonny Stitt Edward Hammond Boatner Jr. (February 2, 1924 – July 22, 1982), known professionally as Sonny Stitt, was an American jazz saxophonist of the bebop/hard bop idiom. Known for his warm tone, he was one of the best-documented saxophonists of his ...

(1924–1982), American saxophonist born Edward Boatner, Jr.

Other musicians

Sonny Double 1 Sir Mohamed Muktar Jama Farah (born Hussein Abdi Kahin; 23 March 1983) is a British long-distance runner. His ten global championship gold medals (four Olympic and six World titles) make him the most successful male track distance runner ever ...

, Welsh rapper *

Sonny Black William Boazman, known as Sonny Black, is an acoustic guitarist based in the UK, who plays blues, rags and original compositions usually fingerstyle or slide. "Sonny Black" is a pseudonym adopted when he began the first Sonny Black's Blues B ...

, English singer/songwriter born William Boazman * Salvatore Sonny Bono (1935–1998), American singer, record producer and politician * Albert Sonny Burgess (1929–2017), rockabilly singer and guitarist * Edwin

Sonny Chillingworth Edwin Bradfield Liloa Chillingworth, Jr., known as Sonny Chillingworth, (July 14, 1932 – August 24, 1994) was an American guitarist and singer. Widely influential in Hawaiian music, he played slack-key guitar and is widely regarded as one of the ...

(1932–1994), slack-key guitar player from Hawaii *

Albert "Sonny" Cunha Sonny Cunha, full name Albert Richard Cunha (October 1, 1879 – January 23, 1933) was an American composer, bandleader, pianist, singer, politician and entrepreneur. He was the first to popularize ''hapa haole'' music, a type of Hawaiian music with ...

(1879–1933), Hawaiian composer *

Sonny Curtis Sonny Curtis (born May 9, 1937) is an American singer and songwriter. Known for his collaborations with Buddy Holly, he was a member of the Crickets and continued with the band after Holly's death. Curtis's best known compositions include "Walk ...

(born 1937), country and pop singer-songwriter * Sonny Digital (born 1991), American record producer, rapper, and DJ. * Sonny Emory (born 1962), freelance touring and studio drummer * Sonny James (1928–2016), stage name of American country music singer James Hugh Loden *

Sonny Kay Sonny Kay is a visual artist and musician. Biography Kay was born in London, England on March 13, 1972, and raised in various locations including the UK, Barcelona (Spain), and Johannesburg (South Africa). His family relocated first to Los Angel ...

(born 1972), founder of the record label Gold Standard Laboratories *

Sonny King (singer) Sonny King (April 1, 1922 – February 3, 2006) was an American lounge singer of Italian descent. He was born as Luigi Antonio Schiavone on April 1, 1922 in Brooklyn, New York. He was the sidekick of Jimmy Durante for 28 years until Durant ...

(1922–2006), American lounge singer born Luigi Antonio Schiavone * Clyde Sonny Landreth (born 1951), American blues guitar player * Sonny Moore (born 1988), better known as Skrillex, American songwriter and electronic music producer *

Sonny Fredie Pedersen Sonny Fredie-Pedersen is a Danish artist. He was born and raised in Copenhagen, Denmark. Fredie-Pedersen has featured in several of his own national TV shows evolving around his life as an entertainer, such as, ''Ingen Slinger I Valsen'', ''Fami ...

, Danish musician and actor * Sonny Sanders (1939–2016), American soul music singer-songwriter, arranger, and producer * Paul Sonny Sandoval (born 1974), lead singer of rock band P.O.D. *

Sonny Terry Saunders Terrell (October 24, 1911 – March 11, 1986), known as Sonny Terry, was an American Piedmont blues and folk musician, who was known for his energetic blues harmonica style, which frequently included vocal whoops and hollers and oc ...

(1911–1986), blind American blues musician born Saunders Terrell * Joseph Sonny West (born 1937), American rockabilly guitarist and songwriter * Sonny Boy Williamson I a.k.a. John Lee Williamson (1914–1948), blues singer and harmonica player * Sonny Boy Williamson II a.k.a. Aleck Ford "Rice" Miller (c.1912–1965), blues singer and harmonica player

Other

* Sonny Angara (born 1972), Filipino politician * Ralph

Sonny Barger Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger, Jr. (October 8, 1938 – June 29, 2022) was an American outlaw biker, author and actor who was a founding member of the Oakland, California chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in 1957. After forming the O ...

(born 1938), founding member of the original Oakland, California, chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club * Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte Jr. (born 1936), Filipino politician *

Dominick Napolitano Dominick Napolitano (June 16, 1930 – August 17, 1981), also known as Sonny Black, was an American Mafia caporegime in the Bonanno crime family. He is known for unwittingly allowing FBI agent Joseph D. Pistone to become an associate in his ...

, also known as Sonny Black (1930–1981), capo in the Bonanno crime family *

Alphonse Indelicato Alphonse "Al" Indelicato (February 25, 1931 – May 5, 1981), also known as Sonny Red, was a powerful American caporegime in New York City's Bonanno crime family who was murdered with Dominick Trinchera and Philip Giaccone for planning to overth ...

, also known as Sonny Red (1931–1981), another capo in the Bonanno crime family, killed during the same gangland war, in which the two led opposite sides *

Sonny Caldinez Sonny Caldinez (1 July 1932 – 12 April 2022) was a Trinidadian actor and professional wrestler. He was often cast in television and films for his great height and muscular physique. He appeared as various Ice Warriors on the British programm ...

(born 1932), Trinidadian actor *

Sonny Flood Sonny Flood (born 18 November 1989) is an English actor. Background Born in Blackpool, Lancashire, Flood was educated at Rossall School, near Fleetwood. In 2006 Flood passed ten GCSE exams all at either A or A*. In 2007, he achieved 4 'A's at ...

(born 1989), English actor who plays Josh Ashworth on ''Hollyoaks'' *

Sonny Grosso Salvatore Anthony Grosso (July 21, 1930 – January 22, 2020), known as Sonny Grosso, was an American film producer, television producer, and NYPD detective, noted for his role in the case made famous in the book and film versions of the ''French C ...

(1930–2020), police detective and movie producer from New York *

John Franzese John "Sonny" Franzese Sr. (; February 6, 1917 – February 24, 2020) was an Italian-born American mobster who was a longtime member and former underboss of the Colombo crime family. Franzese's career in organized crime began in the 1930s and sp ...

, Sr. (1917–2020),

underboss Underboss ( it, sottocapo) is a position within the leadership structure of certain organized crime groups, particularly in Sicilian, Greek, and Italian-American Mafia crime families. The underboss is second in command to the boss. The underbo ...

of the Colombo crime family * William Sonny Landham (1941–2017), American actor and stuntman * Sonny Mehta (born Ajai Singh Mehta; 1942–2019), Indian book editor *

Gillespie V. Montgomery Gillespie V. "Sonny" Montgomery (August 5, 1920 – May 12, 2006) was an American soldier and politician from Mississippi who served in the Mississippi Senate and U.S. House of Representatives from 1967 to 1997. He was also a retired major gener ...

(1920–2006), American politician * George Sonny Perdue (born 1946), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former Governor of Georgia *

Shridath Ramphal Sir Shridath Surendranath Ramphal (born 3 October 1928), often known as Sir Sonny Ramphal, is a Guyanese politician who was the second Commonwealth Secretary-General, holding the position from 1975 to 1990. He was also the foreign minister of ...

(born 1928), commonly called "Sonny Ramphal" or "Sir Sonny", Guyanese politician and 2nd Commonwealth Secretary-General * Otis Sonny Shroyer (born 1935), American actor * Delbert Sonny West (1938–2017), American actor and stunt performer *

Harold G. White Harold G. "Sonny" White (born October 8, 1965) is a mechanical engineer, aerospace engineer, and applied physicist who is known for proposing new Alcubierre drive concepts and promoting advanced propulsion projects. Educational White obtained a ...

(born 1965), mechanical engineer, aerospace engineer, and applied physicist

Fictional characters

*Sonny Bonds, protagonist of the first three ''

Police Quest ''Police Quest'' (or ''SWAT'') is a series of police simulation video games produced and published by Sierra On-Line between 1987 and 1998. The first five were adventure simulation games, the first three of which were designed by former police ...

'' games * Dominick "Sonny" Carisi, Jr., detective on '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' * Sonny Corinthos, in the soap opera ''General Hospital'' * Santino "Sonny" Corleone, in the film ''The Godfather'' * James "Sonny" Crockett, an undercover police detective in the action drama television series ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...

'' * Sonny Forelli, in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' *

Sonny Kiriakis } Sonny Kiriakis is a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'', an American soap opera on the NBC network. The role was originally portrayed by Freddie Smith. Sonny is the only biological child of Justin Kiriakis ( Wally Kurth) and Adrienne ...

, on the soap opera ''Days of our Lives'' *Sonny LoSpecchio, the main character in the film ''

A Bronx Tale ''A Bronx Tale'' is a 1993 American coming-of-age crime film directed by and starring Robert De Niro in his directorial debut and produced by Jane Rosenthal, adapted from Chazz Palminteri's 1989 play of the same name. It tells the coming of ...

'', played by Chazz Palminteri *Sonny Lumet, a character in the American television sitcom '' Bosom Buddies'' *

Sonny Munroe File:SonnyWithaChaceCast.jpg, 300px, The main characters of ''Sonny with a Chance'' in season 1 (from left to right): Tawni Hart (Tiffany Thornton), Grady Mitchell (Doug Brochu), Sonny Munroe (Demi Lovato), Chad Dylan Cooper (Sterling Knight), Z ...

, in Disney Channel Original Series ''Sonny with a Chance'' *Sonny Spoon, a police detective character in the TV series '' Sonny Spoon'' *

Sonny Sumo Sonny Sumo is a fictional sumo wrestler, a comic book superhero published by DC Comics. He first appeared briefly in ''Forever People'' #4 (September 1971) and was created by Jack Kirby. Publication history Sonny Sumo first appeared briefly in ...

, a supporting character of DC Comics' ''Forever People'' *

Sonny Valentine Sonny Valentine is a fictional character from the British Channel 4 soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', played by Aaron Fontaine. The role was initially played by Devon Anderson until 2007 when producer Bryan Kirkwood fired Anderson. In 2014, the role was ...

, in the soap opera ''Hollyoaks'' *Sonny Weaver, Jr., main character of the 2014 film '' Draft Day'', played by Kevin Costner *Sonny Wolff, the father of

Nat and Alex Wolff Nat and Alex Wolff are an American pop rock duo from New York, New York, consisting of brothers Nat and Alex Wolff. The siblings are known for their work on the Nickelodeon television series '' The Naked Brothers Band'', which was created and p ...

in The Naked Brothers Band *Sonny, a character in the 2021 Canadian-American movie '' Mister Sister'' *Sonny, a character in 1986 the American fantasy drama film '' The Boy Who Could Fly'' *Sonny, a robot in the film ''

I, Robot ''I, Robot'' is a fixup (compilation) novel of science fiction short stories or essays by American writer Isaac Asimov. The stories originally appeared in the American magazines ''Super Science Stories'' and ''Astounding Science Fiction'' betw ...

'' *Sonny, a racer character in the Malaysian animated series '' Rimba Racer'' *

Sonny the Cuckoo Bird Sonny is a common nickname and occasional given name. Often it can be a derivative of the English word "Son", a name derived from the Ancient Germanic element *sunn meaning "sun", a nickname derived from the Italian name Salvatore (especially in N ...

, the mascot for Cocoa Puffs breakfast cereal *Sonny, a well tank locomotive from ''

Thomas & Friends ''Thomas & Friends'' (originally known as ''Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends'' and later ''Thomas & Friends: Big World! Big Adventures!'') is a British children's television series that aired across 24 series from 1984 to 2021. Based on ''The ...

'' *Sonny, the protagonist of the flash video game ''Sonny''

References