Sibbie
A Scottish diminutive form of Isabel derived from the Hebrew Elizabeth meaning "consecrated to God".
Name Census estimates that about 15 living Americans carry the first name Sibbie. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Sibbie today is around 84 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sibbie births was 1890 (11 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sibbie. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Sibbie is about 84 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Sibbies were born before 1952.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Sibbie. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
15
~ 1 in 22,850,289 Americans
Peak year
1890
11 babies that year
Average age
84
years old
1956 SSA rank
#5,867
Tracked since 1882
Popularity
Sibbie: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sibbie from the 1880s through to the 1950s, spanning 8 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 29 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sibbie by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Sibbie during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sibbie
The name Sibbie is a diminutive form of the Germanic name Sibyl, which is derived from the Greek word "Sibylla". This word, in turn, comes from an old Greek phrase meaning "prophetess". The name Sibbie has its roots in ancient Greek culture and mythology, where the Sibyls were revered as oracles and seers known for their prophetic abilities.
In ancient times, the Sibyls were highly respected figures who played a significant role in Greek and Roman religious practices. Their prophecies and oracular utterances were recorded in the famous Sibylline Books, which were consulted by rulers and those seeking guidance on important matters. The most famous Sibyl was the Cumaean Sibyl, who is said to have guided Aeneas on his journey to the underworld in Virgil's epic poem, the Aeneid.
The earliest recorded use of the name Sibbie can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where it was a popular diminutive form of Sibyl among English and Scottish families. One notable historical figure with the name was Sibbie Birse, a Scottish woman who was tried and executed for witchcraft in 1608 during the Aberdeen witch trials.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Sibbie Gilchrist, a Scottish woman who lived in the late 16th century and was known for her talents as a healer and herbalist. She was accused of witchcraft but managed to avoid prosecution, and her story has been passed down through generations as an example of the persecution of women during the witch hunts.
In the 17th century, Sibbie Aiken was a Scottish woman who gained notoriety for her alleged supernatural abilities and was dubbed the "Witch of Culross". She was accused of witchcraft but ultimately acquitted, though her story became part of local folklore and superstitions.
Another figure bearing the name was Sibbie Johnstone, a Scottish woman from the 18th century who was renowned for her skills as a midwife and healer. She was widely respected in her community and is said to have assisted in the delivery of hundreds of babies during her lifetime.
Sibbie Macfarlane was a Scottish woman from the 19th century who was known for her expertise in traditional herbal remedies and her ability to communicate with the natural world. She was revered as a wise woman and healer in her community, and her knowledge was passed down through generations.
People
Sibbie + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sibbie as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Sibbie: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sibbie?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 15 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sibbie going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 22,850,289 US residents.
Is Sibbie a common name?
We classify Sibbie as "Very Rare". It ranks above 35.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 139 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sibbie most popular?
The single biggest year for Sibbie was 1890, when 11 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sibbie is about 84 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Sibbie in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Sibbie a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Sibbie in the SSA data are female. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Sibbie still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Sibbie in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Sibbie can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Sibbie?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.