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Sydney

♂ Boy

Pronounced SID-nee /ˈsɪd.ni/High

Meaning: From an English surname/place-name — Old English, 'a wide meadow' or 'St Denis'; routes layered; here for boysMedium

In 30 seconds: Distinguished and classic: Sydney is the English 'wide meadow' — a handsome surname-name (and a great city). Mostly a girls' name now; here for boys.

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Origin MediumEnglish

MeaningFrom an English surname/place-name — Old English, 'a wide meadow' or 'St Denis'; routes layered; here for boys

U.S. rank (2025)#5021 ↘ Falling

2025 U.S. births20 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1916

Total births (all-time)≈ 9,403

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

Sydney comes from an English surname and place-name — Old English, 'a wide meadow/island', or a contraction of 'St Denis' (routes layered, which we note). Historically a boys' name (Sydney Carton), now more common for girls; this page covers its boys' use.

It registers thinly for boys today. Rare for boys, a-wide-meadow at the root, and distinguished.

Did you know? Sydney comes from Old English for 'a wide meadow' (or 'from St Denis') — long a boys' name (Sydney Carton in A Tale of Two Cities) before becoming popular for girls.

Overall data confidence 68%

Behind the Name — Sidney — routes layered

Variations

SidneySyd

Nicknames

Syd

Famous Bearers

★Sydney Poitier (1927-2022)
Pioneering Bahamian-American actor and first Black man to win an Academy Award for Best Actor
★Sydney Greenstreet (1879-1954)
English character actor known for The Maltese Falcon and Casablanca
★Sydney Chaplin (1885-1965)
English actor and older half-brother of Charlie Chaplin who had a successful comedy career

If you like Sydney…

Sidney— the standard spelling

Sawyer— a fellow surname-name

Spencer— a companion English surname-name

Wesley— another distinguished surname-name

Explore names like Sydney

By themeuncertain english unisex surname-name

By meaningEarth / Nature

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sydney mean?

Sydney is English for 'a wide meadow' (or 'from St Denis'); the routes are layered.

How do you pronounce Sydney?

It's said SID-nee /ˈsɪd.ni/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Sydney a boy or girl name?

Sydney is used for both sexes (now mostly girls); this page covers its use as a boy's name.

How popular is Sydney?

Sydney is rare for boys in the U.S. today.