Sidney
Sidney is an English given name derived from the surname, which itself has two different derivations depending on the origins of the family: in some cases a place name, itself from Old English, meaning "wide water meadow", and in others from the French place name "St. Denis".
Meaning & Origin of Sidney
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sidney is an English given name derived from the surname, which itself has two different derivations depending on the origins of the family: in some cases a place name, itself from Old English, meaning "wide water meadow", and in others from the French place name "St. Denis".
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Sidney
As a girl name
Sidney first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1880, with 16 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2000, when 1,221 Sidneys were born — ranking #265 that year. As of 2026, Sidney ranks #1,750 for girls with 117 births, falling sharply (-30%). In total, more than 25K Sidneys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Sidney first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1880, with 142 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 1,879 Sidneys were born — ranking #94 that year. As of 2026, Sidney ranks #1,350 for boys with 142 births, gradually falling (-9%). In total, more than 84K Sidneys have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Sidney
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- Sidney Abrahams (1885–1957), British long jumper
- Sydney Affolter (born 2003), American former basketball player
- Sidney Alford (1935–2021), English inventor and explosives engineer
- Sidney Barnard (1914–1999), English footballer
- Sidney Barthelemy (born 1942), American politician
- Sidney Burr Beardsley (1823–1890), justice of the Connecticut Supreme Court
- Sidney Bechet (1897–1959), American jazz saxophonist
- Sidney Beckerman (disambiguation) , several people
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Sidney
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sidney is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sidney
What does the name Sidney mean?
How popular is Sidney in 2026?
When was Sidney most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sidney most popular?
Is Sidney a unisex name?
What names go well with Sidney?
About the name Sidney
Sidney is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 84K births in the dataset. Sidney's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #80. Use the chart and map above to compare Sidney's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.