Syd
Syd is a diminutive form of Sydney or a nickname.Syd, American singer-songwriter Syd Barrett, British musician and co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd David "Syd" Lawrence, former English cricketer Syd Levy (1922–2015), South African tennis player Syd Little, English comedian and straight man to Eddie Large in the double act Little and Large Syd Straw, American folk singer Syd'quan Thompson,…
- English
Meaning & Origin of Syd
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Syd is a diminutive form of Sydney or a nickname.Syd, American singer-songwriter Syd Barrett, British musician and co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd David "Syd" Lawrence, former English cricketer Syd Levy (1922–2015), South African tennis player Syd Little, English comedian and straight man to Eddie Large in the double act Little and Large Syd Straw, American folk singer Syd'quan Thompson,…
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Syd
As a girl name
The earliest SSA record of Syd as a girl name dates back to 1903, when 5 babies received it. 1912 was its biggest year on record, with 16 newborns named Syd — #1,352 in the national rankings. The 1910s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 57% of all recorded Syds. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 1916 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 80 Syds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1900s through the 2020s.
As a boy name
Syd first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 1919, with 7 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1964: 10 births, good for #2,665 nationwide. The 2010s were its strongest decade, accounting for roughly 32% of all recorded Syds. Its most recent appearance in the national data came in 2024 (5 births); the name has since faded from the published rankings. In total, more than 151 Syds have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Syd
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Syd. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Names that sound like Syd
Phonetically similar names — useful when Syd 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 Syd
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About the name Syd
Syd is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1919 and has accumulated 151 births in the dataset. Syd's peak popularity came in 1964 when it ranked #2,665. Use the chart and map above to compare Syd's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1964 →
- Names of the 1960s →
- 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.