Sidney first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Sidney has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Sidney

A diminutive form of the Old English name Sidney meaning "wide meadow".

Popularity of Sidney by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Sidney is more commonly used as a female name, with approximately 58% of people named Sidney being female.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 159 male babies and 127 female babies born with the name Sidney.

It's also interesting to see that despite Sidney being historically a mostly female name, the most recent data from 2023 shows a shift in the trend, with more male babies being named Sidney.

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 159 127
2022 166 165
2021 132 164
2020 166 141
2019 176 179
2018 168 215
2017 177 225
2016 196 260
2015 180 269
2014 167 295
2013 210 282
2012 226 323
2011 231 413
2010 259 432
2009 254 571
2008 270 583
2007 254 668
2006 255 745
2005 222 834
2004 267 836
2003 285 951
2002 274 939
2001 315 1,053
2000 333 1,221
1999 353 1,218
1998 374 1,140
1997 383 1,009
1996 375 828
1995 412 883
1994 394 568
1993 401 420
1992 386 366
1991 383 325
1990 368 207
1989 345 170
1988 342 123
1987 322 96
1986 311 75
1985 351 83
1984 311 64
1983 330 51
1982 333 49
1981 335 41
1980 353 29
1979 322 31
1978 297 36
1977 345 40
1976 344 23
1975 347 41
1974 366 29

The history of the first name Sidney

The given name Sidney has its origins in the Old English language and is derived from the place name "Sidingbourne," which means "dweller by the plentiful spring." It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 9th or 10th century in parts of what is now southern England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sidney is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears there as a surname, referring to individuals who hailed from the village of Sidingbourne.

Over time, the name Sidney transitioned from being primarily a surname to also being used as a given name. One of the earliest notable individuals to bear the first name Sidney was Sir Sidney Smith (1764-1840), a British naval officer who gained fame for his daring exploits during the Napoleonic Wars.

Another prominent figure in history with the name Sidney was Sir Philip Sidney (1554-1586), an English poet, courtier, and soldier who was celebrated for his influential works, such as the pastoral romance "Arcadia" and the sonnet sequence "Astrophel and Stella."

In the realm of literature, Sidney Sheldon (1917-2007) was a prolific American writer who penned numerous bestselling novels, including "The Other Side of Midnight" and "Master of the Game." His works often explored themes of power, love, and revenge.

The name Sidney also has a connection to the world of sports. Sidney Crosby (born 1987) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who has won numerous accolades, including three Stanley Cup championships and two Olympic gold medals.

Additionally, Sidney Poitier (1927-2022) was a pioneering African American actor who broke barriers in Hollywood and became the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in the 1963 film "Lilies of the Field."

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Sidney was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Sidney, please contact us.

Reference this page

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"Sidney first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/sidney-meaning-and-history/.

"Sidney first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/sidney-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Sidney first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/sidney-meaning-and-history/.

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