Sybil
Sybil or Sibyl is a feminine given name of Greek origin given in reference to the sibyls, oracles of Ancient Greece. It has been in common use in Christian countries since the Middle Ages. Latinate forms of the name in use by 1381 included Sibilla and Sibilia.
- English
Meaning & Origin of Sybil
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sybil or Sibyl is a feminine given name of Greek origin given in reference to the sibyls, oracles of Ancient Greece. It has been in common use in Christian countries since the Middle Ages. Latinate forms of the name in use by 1381 included Sibilla and Sibilia.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Sybil
Sybil first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1881, with 6 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1921, when 541 Sybils were born — ranking #285 that year. As of 2026, Sybil ranks #1,423 for baby girls with 156 births, rising sharply (+31% over the past five years). In total, more than 21K Sybils have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Sybil
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Sybil. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Sybil
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sybil 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 Sybil
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About the name Sybil
Sybil is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1881 and has accumulated 21K births in the dataset. Sybil's peak popularity came in 1921 when it ranked #282. Use the chart and map above to compare Sybil's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1921 →
- Names of the 1920s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all girl names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.