Sook
A girl's name of Korean origin with 6 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
Sook sits in the vintage zone of American naming: first recorded in 1963, peaking in 1963, with 6 total births across its history.
The sharp, distinct quality of its ending — ending on a consonant gives it a firm, clear close — keeps the name compact and easy to pair with longer middle names or surnames.
Sook is not in the current top 1,000 girl names nationally, making it an uncommon choice — though your state or community may differ.
Sook is a girl's baby name of Korean origin, from the Korean element suk (숙), meaning 'pure,' 'good,' or 'excellent.'
Sook appears in U.S. birth records primarily among Korean-American families, often as a standalone name or as part of two-element names like Sook-Ja or Sook-Young. It is also memorable in American literature through the character Sook Faulk in Truman Capote's A Christmas Memory, his beloved elderly cousin portrayed with deep tenderness.
EtymologyShow more
Though Sook dates back to 1963 in U.S. records, its etymological path is not always straightforward. Names that predate modern naming databases sometimes resist easy classification — they may have been oral traditions, regional family names, or adaptations that were never systematically recorded. The Korean classification provides a starting point, but the full derivation likely involves more nuance than a single label can capture.
With only 6 recorded births, Sook has not been widely studied in naming literature — its story belongs primarily to the families who chose it.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Sook has 1+ years of history in the U.S., first appearing in 1963.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6 | — |
The Story of Sook
A Baby Boomer name
Peaking in 1963, Sook is a timeless Baby Boomer name. Girls named Sook are most likely born between 1963 and 1963.
How rare is Sook?
With fewer than 500 recorded births, Sook is an exceptionally rare name — a one-of-a-kind choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1963, peaked in the 1960s with 6 births that decade.
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(1 years, 1963–1963)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 6 | #6490 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sook a boy's or girl's name?
When was Sook most popular?
How popular is the name Sook?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1963–1963