unisex name · in the US
Sidney
SID-nee (English)
- Origin English
- Gender Unisex (US)
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 119,394
England and Wales
#203
2025 births
Sidney is a name of Old English origin meaning "wide meadow." It comes from sid, wide, and eg, an island or well-watered land — not from Saint Denis, which reference works give and which appears to be a Victorian invention.
- Sidney is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1918, when 1,939 babies were given the name.
- It has been falling over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 13,209 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Sidney Over Time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, which so far covers 2020 to 2025.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,619 |
| 1890s | 1,782 |
| 1900s | 2,178 |
| 1910s | 13,231 |
| 1920s | 14,769 |
| 1930s | 10,117 |
| 1940s | 10,559 |
| 1950s | 10,524 |
| 1960s | 7,415 |
| 1970s | 4,144 |
| 1980s | 4,114 |
| 1990s | 10,793 |
| 2000s | 11,130 |
| 2010s | 4,885 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,727 |
What Sidney Means
Sidney means the wide water-meadow. The competing derivation from Saint Denis, by way of a French Saint-Denis, is repeated everywhere but has no documentary support.
Where Sidney Comes From
Sidney comes from English place names combining the Old English sid, wide or ample, with eg, an island or land beside water — giving a broad riverside meadow. The alternative story, that it contracts the French Saint-Denis, was proposed in the nineteenth century and has been repeated ever since without evidence; place-name scholars reject it. The Sidney family were prominent Elizabethans, and the poet Sir Philip Sidney gave the surname its standing. Sydney in Australia is named for Lord Sydney, the Home Secretary of the day.
Sidney in Use
Birth records record Sidney for both sexes and shows it falling, peaking in 1918, at 203 in England and Wales against 1,326 in the United States. It first appears in birth records in 1880. Its British use considerably outpaces its American, unusually for a name whose most famous modern bearers are American.
How Popular Is Sidney?
In 2025, Sidney was given to 251 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Sidney Is Used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names That Peaked Alongside Sidney
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents Who Like Sidney Also Like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Sidney over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
Boys' or Girls' Name?
Sidney is used differently depending on where you are. Each figure is the share of babies given the name who were girls, over the last ten years of that country's records.
- United States Both 51% girls · 3,324 babies
- England & Wales Boys' 8% girls · 2,711 babies
- Canada Both 33% girls · 473 babies
- France Both 50% girls · 230 babies
How to Say Sidney
- English SID-nee /ˈsɪdni/
2 nicknames for Sidney
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Sidney in Other Languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling Names for Sidney
Names from the same era that do not rhyme or share an initial with Sidney — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common Questions About Sidney
What does the name Sidney mean?
Sidney means "wide meadow," from the Old English sid, wide, and eg, land beside water.
Does Sidney come from Saint Denis?
That story is repeated everywhere but has no documentary support — place-name scholars reject it as a Victorian invention.
Is Sydney in Australia named after the name?
After Lord Sydney, the Home Secretary when the colony was founded.
How popular is the name Sidney?
In 2025, Sidney was given to 251 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Sidney a girl's or a boy's name?
Sidney is used for both girls and boys. About 23% of recorded births with this name are girls.
How many syllables are in Sidney?
Sidney has 2 syllables.
When was Sidney most popular?
Sidney peaked in 1918, when 1,939 babies were given the name. It has been falling over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Sidney?
Sidney is usually shortened to Sid and Syd.
Is Sidney a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Sidney currently ranks #203 in the United States. It has been falling over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.