Sidney

“Wide meadow; alternatively, named for Saint-Denis in France” — Old English/French origin

Girl's name · #1872 in the US (2025) · 2000s

Sidney has appeared in US records since 1880 — best rank #258 (1999) · 24,785 babies named Sidney all-time · 1 in 14,000 girls born in 2025.

Around the world: about 1 in 6,000 girls in Scotland (2025) · about 1 in 10,000 girls in England & Wales (2025) · about 1 in 10,000 girls in Canada (2024).

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 13 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Famous Sidneys

Sidney Fox — American actress (1907/1911–1942)
Sidney Powell — American attorney and conspiracy theorist
Sidney Flanigan — American actor and musician
Sidney Abbott — American feminist and lesbian activist
Sidney Morin — American ice hockey player

In stories & tradition

Sidney Prescott — Scream
Sidney — Me and Juliet
Sidney Potte — Little Nellie Kelly

What Sidneys become

Among 1,134 notable people named Sidney:

Lawyers & judges appear 1.59× more often than among typical names — e.g. Sidney Powell, American attorney and conspiracy theorist.

Browse more girl names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.