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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Sybil

Sybil

♀ Girl

Pronounced SIB-uhl /ˈsΙͺb.Ι™l/Medium

Meaning: Prophetess, oracle (from Greek sibylla)Medium

In 30 seconds: Sybil means 'prophetess' or 'oracle', from the Greek sibylla.
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Origin MediumGreek, English
MeaningProphetess, oracle (from Greek sibylla)
U.S. rank (2025)#1426 β†— Rising
2025 U.S. births152 girls (0.01% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1921
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 20,359

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 192118812025

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

The name comes from the Greek 'sibylla', the word for the prophetesses or oracles of the ancient world who spoke divine predictions. It carries that sense of foresight and mystery. An early American bearer was Sybil Ludington, a teenager said to have made a night ride in 1777 to alert colonial militia during the Revolutionary War.

It appears in forms like Sibyl, Cybill, and the elaborated Sybella. The soft sound and ancient-oracle meaning give it a quietly literary air.

Did you know? Sybil is a spelling variant of Sibyl, so it keeps the same core meaning of 'prophetess, sibyl' while changing the visual style.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Sybil β€” etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration β€” 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

SibylCybillSybellaPilleSibylle

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Sybil Ludington (1761–1839)
    American teenager said to have made a night ride in 1777 to alert colonial militia during the Revolutionary War.

If you like Sybil…

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Sallyβ€” lands in the same popularity range
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Sterlingβ€” another English name
Spencerβ€” another English name

Explore names like Sybil

By themeenglish

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sybil mean?

Sybil is usually explained as meaning 'prophetess, sibyl' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Sybil?

It's commonly said SIB-uhl /ˈsΙͺb.Ι™l/.

Is Sybil a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Sybil is used as a girl name.

How popular is Sybil?

In 2024, Sybil ranked #1564 in the U.S. for girls, with 136 births recorded.

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