Sidney Unisex

Popularity: #792 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SID-nee //ˈsɪd.ni//

Origin: Old French; English

Meaning: Old French: 'from Sidon'; English: 'wide island'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Sidney has its roots in Old French and Old English, deriving from the Norman name "Sidonie," which itself comes from the Latin "Sidonensis," meaning "from Sidon," a city in ancient Phoenicia. The name entered the English language following the Norman Conquest of England in the 11th century, when many Norman names were adopted by the English nobility and gentry.

The earliest recorded use of Sidney in England can be traced back to the 12th century, where it was often used as a surname before becoming popular as a given name. Historically, the name Sidney is notably associated with Sir Philip Sidney, a prominent English poet, courtier, and soldier of the late 16th century.

He was born in 1554 and is best known for his works such as "Astrophel and Stella" and "The Defence of Poesy." His contributions to literature and his role in the Elizabethan court helped to elevate the name's status in English culture. Additionally, the name appears in various historical texts and documents, reinforcing its presence in English history.

Culturally, Sidney has been associated with nobility and intellectualism, often evoking images of chivalry and the arts due to its literary connections. The name has also been linked to various places, such as Sidney in Australia, which further enhances its geographical significance.

Diminutive forms like Sid have emerged over time, reflecting a more informal usage, but the name Sidney itself has maintained a sense of dignity and historical weight throughout the centuries.

Famous people named Sidney

In this section, you will find notable people named Sidney. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Sidney who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Sidney who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Sidney Poitier is an actor and director best known for Lilies of the Field, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, and To Sir, with Love.

Sidney Sheldon is an author and screenwriter best known for The Other Side of Midnight, Bloodline, and Master of the Game.

Sidney Crosby is a professional ice hockey player best known for his time with the Pittsburgh Penguins, winning multiple Stanley Cups and Olympic gold medals.

Sidney Altman is a biochemist best known for his work on the catalytic properties of RNA, which earned him a Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Sidney Arthur is a musician best known for his contributions to the jazz genre and collaborations with various artists.

Fictional characters named Sidney

The following list of fictional characters named Sidney is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Sidney Prescott is a fictional character from the film series Scream. She is the main protagonist who survives multiple encounters with a masked killer and becomes a symbol of resilience against horror.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Sidney, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

SawyerSullivanSebastianSimonSampsonSpencer

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Sidney. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

SimeonSorenSilasSantiagoSethSampsonSullivanSaxon

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Sidney was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Sidney has ranked as high as #214 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in New York, Texas, California, Louisiana, and Pennsylvania.

In the past 5 years the name Sidney has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Sidney is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Sidney was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Sidney.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 251 146 105
2024 254 137 117
2023 288 160 128
2022 331 166 165
2021 296 132 164
2020 307 166 141
2019 356 177 179
2018 383 168 215
2017 402 177 225
2016 456 196 260
2015 450 180 270
2014 462 167 295
2013 492 210 282
2012 549 226 323
2011 644 231 413
2010 691 259 432
2009 825 254 571
2008 853 270 583
2007 922 254 668
2006 1,000 255 745
2005 1,056 222 834
2004 1,103 267 836
2003 1,236 285 951
2002 1,213 274 939
2001 1,368 315 1,053
2000 1,554 333 1,221
1999 1,571 353 1,218
1998 1,514 374 1,140
1997 1,392 383 1,009
1996 1,203 375 828
1995 1,295 412 883
1994 961 393 568
1993 821 401 420
1992 752 386 366
1991 708 383 325
1990 576 369 207
1989 515 345 170
1988 465 342 123
1987 418 322 96
1986 386 311 75
1985 434 351 83
1984 375 311 64
1983 381 330 51
1982 382 333 49
1981 376 335 41
1980 382 353 29
1979 353 322 31
1978 332 296 36
1977 385 345 40
1976 367 344 23
1975 388 347 41
1974 395 366 29
1973 406 381 25
1972 496 462 34
1971 474 445 29
1970 548 509 39
1969 581 549 32
1968 609 572 37
1967 646 593 53
1966 681 615 66
1965 691 638 53
1964 788 731 57
1963 737 672 65
1962 841 782 59
1961 901 844 57
1960 940 848 92
1959 897 825 72
1958 921 827 94
1957 930 844 86
1956 1,035 954 81
1955 1,116 1,024 92
1954 1,118 1,024 94
1953 1,103 1,014 89
1952 1,127 1,018 109
1951 1,123 1,026 97
1950 1,154 1,076 78
1949 1,034 946 88
1948 1,064 991 73
1947 1,215 1,099 116
1946 1,100 1,010 90
1945 917 828 89
1944 986 901 85
1943 1,153 1,016 137
1942 1,116 1,000 116
1941 974 891 83
1940 1,000 926 74
1939 924 861 63
1938 965 876 89
1937 968 905 63
1936 1,033 952 81
1935 1,066 973 93
1934 1,010 932 78
1933 1,025 948 77
1932 1,017 960 57
1931 985 937 48
1930 1,124 1,076 48
1929 1,113 1,058 55
1928 1,266 1,206 60
1927 1,435 1,381 54
1926 1,419 1,350 69
1925 1,389 1,345 44
1924 1,560 1,502 58
1923 1,605 1,543 62
1922 1,669 1,618 51
1921 1,649 1,588 61
1920 1,664 1,610 54
1919 1,775 1,715 60
1918 1,939 1,879 60
1917 1,782 1,727 55
1916 1,713 1,659 54
1915 1,678 1,615 63
1914 1,376 1,337 39
1913 1,116 1,073 43
1912 1,029 1,003 26
1911 456 432 24
1910 367 353 14
1909 245 233 12
1908 277 253 24
1907 220 200 20
1906 225 209 16
1905 213 196 17
1904 222 201 21
1903 181 162 19
1902 203 175 28
1901 151 134 17
1900 241 218 23
1899 156 144 12
1898 189 171 18
1897 171 149 22
1896 194 176 18
1895 196 178 18
1894 179 168 11
1893 180 163 17
1892 191 174 17
1891 135 113 22
1890 191 176 15
1889 159 144 15
1888 178 168 10
1887 152 144 8
1886 165 155 10
1885 180 170 10
1884 153 142 11
1883 174 165 9
1882 155 146 9
1881 145 129 16
1880 158 142 16

Top States for Sidney (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 27
17%
NY 22
14%
TX 16
10%
IL 14
9%
FL 13
8%
GA 13
8%
MD 7
4%
OR 7
4%
OH 7
4%
MA 6
4%
PA 6
4%
VA 5
3%
LA 5
3%
NC 5
3%
TN 5
3%