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 (born 1939), American football player *Shin'ichi

Sonny Chiba , known internationally as Sonny Chiba, was a Japanese actor and martial artist. Chiba was one of the first actors to achieve stardom through his skills in martial arts, initially in Japan and later before an international audience. Born in Fuku ...

(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 ...

(1938-2022), American football coach and player *Ernest

Sonny Hutchins Ernest Lloyd "Sonny" Hutchins (May 17, 1929 – November 21, 2005) was a stock car driver who raced in NASCAR's Grand National/Winston Cup Series from 1955 to 1974. He died in 2005. Motorsports career results NASCAR ( key) (Bold – Pole p ...

(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 Jan Jacobus "Sonny" Silooy (born 31 August 1963) is a Dutch former professional footballer and football manager. His last team as a manager was United Arab Emirates club Al Shabab under 19. His most successful time as a player was in his period ...

(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 Saul "Sonny" Berman (April 21, 1925 – January 16, 1947) was an American jazz trumpeter. Berman was born in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. He began touring at age sixteen and performed with Louis Prima, Harry James and Benny Goodman, but ...

(1925–1947), American trumpeter *Joseph

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

(1914–1980), American big band leader *Conrad

Sonny Clark Conrad Yeatis "Sonny" Clark (July 21, 1931 – January 13, 1963) was an American jazz pianist and composer who mainly worked in the hard bop idiom. Early life Clark was born and raised in Herminie, Pennsylvania, a coal mining town east of Pit ...

(1931–1963), American pianist *George

Sonny Cohn George Thomas Cohn (March 14, 1925 – November 7, 2006), known professionally as Sonny Cohn, was an American jazz trumpeter whose career spanned over six decades. After working for fifteen years with Red Saunders (1945–1960), Cohn went on ...

(1925–2006), American trumpeter *William

Sonny Criss William "Sonny" Criss (23 October 1927 – 19 November 1977) was an American jazz musician. An alto saxophonist of prominence during the bebop era of jazz, he was one of many players influenced by Charlie Parker. Biography William Criss wa ...

(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 (1895–1982), American drummer *Percival Sonny Payne (1926–1979), American drummer *Sonny Red (1932–1981), American alto saxophonist *Walter Theodore Sonny Rollins (born 1930), American saxophonist *Warren Sonny Sharrock (1940–1994), American guitarist *Huey Sonny Simmons (1933–2021), American saxophonist and English horn player *Sonny Stitt (1924–1982), American saxophonist born Edward Boatner, Jr.

Other musicians

* Sonny Double 1, Welsh rapper * Sonny Black, 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 (1932–1994), slack-key guitar player from Hawaii * Albert "Sonny" Cunha (1879–1933), Hawaiian composer * Sonny Curtis (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 (born 1972), founder of the record label Gold Standard Laboratories * Sonny King (singer) (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, 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 (1911–1986), blind American blues musician born Saunders Terrell * Joseph Sonny West (musician), 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 (born 1938), founding member of the original Oakland, California, chapter of the Hells Angels motorcycle club * Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Feliciano "Sonny" Belmonte Jr. (born 1936), Filipino politician * Dominick Napolitano, also known as Sonny Black (1930–1981), Caporegime, capo in the Bonanno crime family * Al Indelicato, Alphonse Indelicato, 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 (born 1932), Trinidadian actor * Sonny Flood (born 1989), English actor who plays Josh Ashworth on ''Hollyoaks'' * Sonny Grosso (1930–2020), police detective and movie producer from New York * John Franzese, Sr. (1917–2020), underboss 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 (1920–2006), American politician * George Sonny Perdue (born 1946), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and former Governor of Georgia * Shridath Ramphal (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 (actor), Sonny West (1938–2017), American actor and stunt performer * Harold G. White (born 1965), mechanical engineer, aerospace engineer, and applied physicist

Fictional characters

*Sonny Bonds, protagonist of the first three ''Police Quest'' 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'' *Sonny Forelli, in the video game ''Grand Theft Auto: Vice City'' *Sonny Kiriakis, on the soap opera ''Days of our Lives'' *Sonny LoSpecchio, the main character in the film ''A Bronx Tale'', played by Chazz Palminteri *Sonny Lumet, a character in the American television sitcom ''Bosom Buddies#Cast, Bosom Buddies'' *Sonny Munroe, in Disney Channel Original Series ''Sonny with a Chance'' *Sonny Spoon, a police detective character in the TV series ''Sonny Spoon'' *Sonny Sumo, a supporting character of DC Comics' ''Forever People'' *Sonny Valentine, 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 in The Naked Brothers Band (band), The Naked Brothers Band *Sonny, a character in the 2021 Canadian-American movie ''Mister Sister (film)#Cast, Mister Sister'' *Sonny, a character in 1986 the American fantasy drama film ''The Boy Who Could Fly#Cast, The Boy Who Could Fly'' *Sonny, a robot in the film ''I, Robot (film), I, Robot'' *Sonny, a racer character in the Malaysian animated series ''Rimba Racer'' *Sonny the Cuckoo Bird, the mascot for Cocoa Puffs breakfast cereal *Sonny, a well tank locomotive from ''Thomas & Friends'' *Sonny, the protagonist of the flash video game ''Sonny''

References