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Sidney
♂ Boy
Pronounced SID-nee /ˈsɪd.niː/Low
Meaning: Wide island; Saint Denis's islandLow
In 30 seconds: Sidney is an English place name meaning wide island or Saint Denis's island. As a given name it was popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries for both boys and girls and carries a distinguished vintage quality.
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Origin LowEnglish
MeaningWide island; Saint Denis's island
U.S. rank (2025)#1327 ↗ Rising
2025 U.S. births146 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1918
Total births (all-time)≈ 84,202
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Sidney derives from the Old English place name meaning wide island or Saint Denis's island. It became a surname and then a given name.
Sidney has a distinguished vintage quality, associated with actor Sidney Poitier and director Sidney Lumet.
Did you know? The famous Australian city of Sydney was named after British politician Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney — making Sidney/Sydney a name with unexpected Down Under connections.
Overall data confidence 90%
Variations
SydneySidSydny
Nicknames
Sid
Famous Bearers
- ★Sidney Poitier (1927–2022)Bahamian-American actor, the first Black man to win the Academy Award for Best Actor (1964)
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Frequently Asked
What does Sidney mean?
Wide island; Saint Denis's island
How do you pronounce Sidney?
Sidney is pronounced SID-nee.
What is the origin of Sidney?
Sidney comes from English.
What names are similar to Sidney?
Similar names include sydney, harvey, stanley.