Sidney
From Old English *Sīdaneġ, the name of a place in Surrey, from sīd (“wide”) + eġ (“island”).
Every Sidney since 1880 — 108,987 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sidney
Sidney is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,327 in 2025 with 146 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 108,987 American babies have been named Sidney — about 77% boys and 23% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,939 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sidney stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sidney year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 105 | #1,878 | 146 | #1,327 |
| 2024 | 117 | #1,742 | 137 | #1,380 |
| 2023 | 128 | #1,634 | 160 | #1,233 |
| 2022 | 165 | #1,394 | 166 | #1,203 |
| 2021 | 164 | #1,351 | 132 | #1,393 |
| 2020 | 141 | #1,515 | 166 | #1,164 |
| 2019 | 179 | #1,290 | 177 | #1,115 |
| 2018 | 215 | #1,140 | 168 | #1,150 |
| 2017 | 225 | #1,122 | 177 | #1,103 |
| 2016 | 260 | #1,021 | 196 | #1,026 |
| 2015 | 270 | #1,002 | 180 | #1,088 |
| 2014 | 295 | #916 | 167 | #1,141 |
| 2013 | 282 | #908 | 210 | #954 |
| 2012 | 323 | #832 | 226 | #919 |
| 2011 | 413 | #681 | 231 | #894 |
| 2010 | 432 | #670 | 259 | #828 |
| 2009 | 571 | #530 | 254 | #847 |
| 2008 | 583 | #525 | 270 | #814 |
| 2007 | 668 | #487 | 254 | #842 |
| 2006 | 745 | #426 | 255 | #804 |
| 2005 | 834 | #378 | 222 | #838 |
| 2004 | 836 | #374 | 267 | #719 |
| 2003 | 951 | #330 | 285 | #681 |
| 2002 | 939 | #326 | 274 | #677 |
| 2001 | 1,053 | #296 | 315 | #615 |
| 2000 | 1,221 | #265 | 333 | #595 |
| 1995 | 883 | #315 | 412 | #503 |
| 1990 | 207 | #923 | 369 | #514 |
| 1985 | 83 | #1,488 | 351 | #460 |
| 1980 | 29 | #3,058 | 353 | #440 |
| 1975 | 41 | #2,130 | 347 | #418 |
| 1970 | 39 | #2,112 | 509 | #361 |
| 1965 | 53 | #1,543 | 638 | #298 |
| 1960 | 92 | #1,137 | 848 | #275 |
| 1955 | 92 | #1,054 | 1,024 | #225 |
| 1950 | 78 | #1,038 | 1,076 | #195 |
| 1945 | 89 | #802 | 828 | #186 |
| 1940 | 74 | #833 | 926 | #169 |
| 1935 | 93 | #700 | 973 | #153 |
| 1930 | 48 | #1,071 | 1,076 | #150 |
| 1925 | 44 | #1,174 | 1,345 | #131 |
| 1920 | 54 | #1,016 | 1,610 | #107 |
| 1915 | 63 | #827 | 1,615 | #94 |
| 1910 | 14 | #1,260 | 353 | #93 |
| 1905 | 17 | #920 | 196 | #109 |
| 1900 | 23 | #777 | 218 | #108 |
| 1895 | 18 | #768 | 178 | #106 |
| 1890 | 15 | #722 | 176 | #100 |
| 1885 | 10 | #737 | 170 | #88 |
| 1880 | 16 | #433 | 142 | #96 |
Famous people named Sidney
- Sidney Poitier Actor · b. 1927
- Sidney Sheldon Writer · 1917–2007
- Sidney Lumet Film director · 1924–2011
- Sidney Bechet Musician · 1897–1959
- Sidney Altman Chemist · b. 1939
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sidney mean?
From Old English *Sīdaneġ, the name of a place in Surrey, from sīd (“wide”) + eġ (“island”).
How popular is the name Sidney in 2025?
Sidney ranked #1,327 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 146 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sidney?
108,987 babies have been named Sidney in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sidney most popular?
Sidney peaked in 1918, when 1,939 newborns received the name.
Is Sidney a boy or girl name?
Sidney is used for both: about 23% of babies named Sidney have been girls and 77% boys.
Is the name Sidney rising or falling?
Sidney has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sidney?
Well-known people named Sidney include Sidney Poitier (actor), Sidney Sheldon (writer), Sidney Lumet (film director).