Nameling

Sydney

Mostly girls · SID-nee · English

Sydney is a name of English origin, meaning “wide island”. In 2025 it ranked 298th for girls in the UK (163 babies) and 348th for girls in the US (873 babies).

What does Sydney mean?

English: from the surname Sidney, from an Old English place name

“wide island”

Originally an English surname; the Australian city was named in 1788 after the British Home Secretary, Lord Sydney.

Say it
SID-nee

More on Wiktionary.

Is Sydney a girl's or a boy's name?

In recent years, Sydney has been given to girls and boys, mostly girls. In 2025, it was given to 163 girls and 22 boys in the UK and 873 girls and 20 boys in the US.

How popular is Sydney in the UK?

Rank in 2025
#298among girls
Babies in 2025
163about 1 in 1,700 girls
Five-year trend
Risingup 28% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 163 girls in the UK were named Sydney, making it the 298th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 514th. Its busiest year was 2003, with 230 girls. 22 boys were also named Sydney in 2025 (1,337th for boys).

It has been given to more girls each year for the last 3 years. 2025 had more girls named Sydney than any year since 2011.

Half of all the girls named Sydney in the UK since 1996 were born between 2003 and 2016. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier girls aren't counted.

In 2025, 196 girls in the UK were given Sydney or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #267, up from #298 for this spelling alone.

In 2025, 88% of the babies named Sydney in the UK were girls.

Among girls in 2025, it was 295th in England and Wales and 284th in Scotland.

1996Busiest: 230 in 20032025
Sydney in the UK, year by year
YearGirlsRank
2025163#298
2024136#358
2023109#423
2022101#465
2021104#458
202086#514
2019108#436
2018124#396
2017115#428
2016113#437
2015148#346
2014123#400
2013121#400
2012156#345
2011163#332
2010170#302
2009203#264
2008173#302
2007185#289
2006184#283
2005215#238
2004212#239
2003230#223
2002213#230
2001192#238
2000197#239
1999157#277
1998152#282
1997103#368
199699#376

How popular is Sydney in the US?

Rank in 2025
#348among girls
Babies in 2025
873about 1 in 1,800 girls
Five-year trend
Fallingdown 34% in five years
Same name in a class
under 1%chance among 15 girls

In 2025, 873 girls in the US were named Sydney, making it the 348th most popular name for girls. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 241st. Its busiest year was 2000, with 10,243 girls. It first appears in the records in 1886. 20 boys were also named Sydney in 2025 (4,856th for boys).

2025 had fewer girls named Sydney than any year since 1987.

Half of all the girls named Sydney in the US since 1880 were born between 1997 and 2008, the years shaded on the chart below.

In 2025, 1,018 girls in the US were given Sydney or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #329, up from #348 for this spelling alone.

In 1904, 18% of the babies named Sydney in the US were girls. By 2025 it was 98%, with more girls than boys since 1940.

1886Busiest: 10,243 in 20002025
Sydney in the US, year by year
YearGirlsRank
2025873#348
20241,104#288
20231,003#307
20221,169#271
20211,231#249
20201,246#241
20191,535#197
20181,757#164
20172,013#146
20162,322#135
20152,660#122
20142,855#109
20133,177#98
20123,456#78
20113,974#65
20104,335#60
20095,061#48
20085,264#49
20076,032#37
20066,516#34
20057,376#30
20048,368#27
20038,911#25
20029,034#23
20019,639#23
200010,243#23
19999,649#23
19988,553#28
19978,032#35
19967,259#39
19957,360#43
19944,737#76
19933,050#106
19922,708#124
19912,380#134
19902,028#150
19891,193#230
1988914#275
1987651#365
1986464#465
1985440#477
1984285#624
1983201#788
1982155#958
1981154#954
1980130#1,083
1979113#1,169
1978110#1,154
197789#1,303
1976121#1,026
197593#1,229
197449#1,801
197363#1,496
197284#1,242
1971104#1,125
1970103#1,133
1969106#1,066
1968100#1,042
1967128#905
1966166#760
1965167#767
1964169#804
1963155#838
1962100#1,081
1961127#957
1960128#942
1959136#890
1958105#1,011
1957117#950
1956120#923
1955134#838
1954143#781
1953153#735
1952207#602
1951205#597
1950202#594
1949176#623
1948137#719
1947137#729
1946152#641
1945132#634
1944145#611
1943190#543
1942187#541
1941171#537
194085#752
193977#775
193887#737
193791#713
193697#672
193594#688
1934103#660
1933107#633
193272#801
193141#1,104
193029#1,434
192933#1,305
192828#1,501
192738#1,278
192621#1,882
192525#1,699
192433#1,440
192344#1,158
192230#1,508
192124#1,765
192030#1,470
191940#1,177
191844#1,102
191732#1,281
191639#1,127
191527#1,367
191423#1,303
191321#1,229
191212#1,620
191112#1,372
191015#1,171
190916#1,015
190811#1,261
19077#1,638
19066#1,727
190521#797
19046#1,658
19035#1,791
19025#1,792
19017#1,339
19000–
18996#1,393
18980–
18970–
18965#1,582
18950–
18940–
18930–
18926#1,278
18910–
18906#1,209
18890–
18886#1,136
18870–
18868#828

Nicknames for Sydney

Names like Sydney

Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.

Riley Molly Honey Holly Scarlett Jasmine Ellie Lily Amber Erin Hailey Zoe

Other spellings of Sydney

Sidney Sydnie Sydnee Cydney Sydni

Names related to Sydney

Sydnei Sydne Sydny

More English names

Evelyn Hudson Ivy Harper Grace Violet Willow Daisy Poppy Oakley Mason Cooper Ruby Hallie Hazel Carter