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Sydney as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Sydney

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The baby name Sydney is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced SID-nee (IPA: /ˈsɪdni/).

Sydney is English in Origin.

Gender: Unisex
Syllables: 2.0
Origin: English
Pronunciation: SID-nee (IPA: /ˈsɪdni/)

What is the meaning of the name Sydney ?

The baby name Sydney is a Unisex name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced SID-nee (IPA: /ˈsɪdni/).

Sydney is English in Origin.

Sydney is an English given name that began as a surname. It traces to two strands: a Norman French locative from Saint-Denis (whence the surname Sidney/Sydney), and an Old English place-name sīd + ēg, meaning “wide island” or “broad riverside meadow.” The Australian city takes its name from Thomas Townshend, 1st Viscount Sydney, whose title preserved the surname; this global association later boosted the given name’s visibility.

Used chiefly for men in Britain and America through the 18th–early 20th centuries (e.g., clergyman Sydney Smith; Dickens’s Sydney Carton), Sydney shifted to unisex and then predominantly feminine in late-20th-century North America, peaking for girls in the U.S. around the early 2000s. It remains unisex in parts of the Commonwealth. Variants and spellings include Sidney (traditional), Cydney, Sydnee, Sydni, Sydnie, and Portuguese Sidnei; common short form: Syd.

Sydney has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Sydney

Sydney Sweeney Actor · Born 1997 · United States Sydney Sweeney is an American actor best known for her roles in the TV series 'Euphoria' and 'The White Lotus'. Born in 1997, she has quickly made a name for herself in the entertainment industry with her compelling performances. Sydney Pollack Actor · Born 1934 · United States Sydney Pollack was an American actor and director, best known for directing the film 'Out of Africa', which won several Academy Awards. He also directed 'Tootsie' and 'The Way We Were'. In addition to his directing work, he appeared in films like 'Eyes Wide Shut'. Sydney Chaplin Actor · Born 1926 · United States Sydney Chaplin was an American actor best known for his work in the Broadway musical 'Bells Are Ringing' and the film 'Limelight'. He was the second son of Charlie Chaplin and Lita Grey, and he made a name for himself in theater and film during the mid-20th century.
Sydne Rome Actor · Born 1946 · United States Sydne Rome is an American actress best known for her role in the film 'What?' directed by Roman Polanski. She gained popularity in the 1970s and also appeared in 'The Pumaman' and 'Some Girls Do'. Sydney Penny Actor · Born 1971 · United States Sydney Penny is an American actress best known for her role as Julia Santos Keefer on the soap opera 'All My Children'. She also appeared in the television series 'The Thorn Birds' and the film 'Pale Rider'.

Celebrity babies named Sydney

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Sydney Chaplin Hannah Chaplin singer ★★★★★ Charlie Chaplin film director ★★★★★
Sydney Tamiia Poitier Joanna Shimkus singer ★★★★★ Sidney Poitier television actor ★★★★★

Sydney – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2025 #1 — 874
Germany Girls 2014 #1 — 434
BW 0 #19 1 960
NA 0 #31 3 2,537
CM 0 #55 2 2,592
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
JP 0 #74 4 4,057
CN 0 #86 1 3,857
JM 0 #91 3 3,714
TW 0 #98 6 4,523
SD 0 #102 1 2,130
PH 0 #106 5 5,607
BW Boys 0 #107 43 4,685
BN Girls 0 #114 1 5,459
HU 0 #115 1 1,675
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
OM 0 #121 1 6,215
ID Boys 0 #135 1 4,130
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
MT Girls 0 #153 1 3,773
NA Boys 0 #160 76 6,830
CR 0 #161 5 5,526
Canada Girls 2024 #168 120 2,795
ZA Boys 0 #168 3,855 25,619
Sweden Girls 2021 #181 3 1,666
AE 0 #184 4 10,220
CZ 0 #186 1 3,154
LU Girls 0 #186 5 4,850
Sweden Boys 2010 #189 2 1,344
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
AO Girls 0 #216 2 4,575
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
JM Boys 0 #225 48 6,876
PS 0 #226 1 5,692
IR 0 #231 1 4,221
MO Boys 0 #232 3 5,842
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
BD 0 #241 1 5,992
GH 0 #242 7 5,396
AO Boys 0 #245 5 5,568
EC Boys 0 #246 1 3,322
JP Girls 0 #248 4 6,592
PT 0 #250 1 4,161
NG 0 #252 13 5,926
TW Boys 0 #255 2 7,111
TW Girls 0 #257 20 8,139
United States Girls 2024 #258 1,097 8,487
EC Girls 0 #258 1 3,650
MO Girls 0 #259 5 7,056
JM Girls 0 #274 5 7,507
SG 0 #281 2 11,010
IL 0 #282 1 6,291
Canada Boys 2024 #296 11 2,588
KZ Boys 0 #296 1 6,578
CZ Boys 0 #303 3 6,530
QA Girls 0 #304 13 15,378
MU Boys 0 #310 48 8,477
SA 0 #312 1 10,560
GH Boys 0 #318 28 8,138
CN Boys 0 #325 7 9,639
DK Girls 0 #329 1 7,429
PE 0 #329 1 6,350
ZA 0 #329 119 14,421
DK Boys 0 #331 2 7,401
GH Girls 0 #337 1 6,973
PH Girls 0 #339 52 13,098
PL Boys 0 #339 2 6,459
CN Girls 0 #340 10 8,829
MY 0 #349 6 12,352
CZ Girls 0 #351 1 5,378
HK 0 #352 6 8,483
BR 0 #357 4 5,969
MU Girls 0 #359 4 8,539
PH Boys 0 #366 18 11,440
PT Boys 0 #379 3 7,951
France Boys 2021 #380 8 2,865
JO Boys 0 #386 4 7,057
OM Girls 0 #387 10 15,987
France Girls 2021 #392 14 3,185
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
EG 0 #412 1 6,387
CL 0 #433 2 6,867
MX 0 #441 5 8,339
SD Boys 0 #463 4 10,523
PT Girls 0 #470 2 7,952
CR Girls 0 #478 55 11,342
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
KW Girls 0 #489 27 19,177
RU Girls 0 #489 10 11,913
HK Boys 0 #499 29 12,905
PA Boys 0 #503 3 9,305
CR Boys 0 #506 5 10,188
PA Girls 0 #514 5 9,861
CM Girls 0 #522 19 11,671
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
AE Girls 0 #529 25 20,968
UY Girls 0 #534 3 6,731
CM Boys 0 #535 16 12,054
PS Girls 0 #540 8 10,981
GT Girls 0 #541 1 7,500
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Boys 0 #558 4 10,655
SG Girls 0 #558 29 18,916
IR Boys 0 #563 3 10,162
BH 0 #580 8 17,937
HK Girls 0 #584 32 16,104
BD Boys 0 #605 1 10,045
IL Boys 0 #620 6 10,983
BO Boys 0 #621 2 9,244
AR Girls 0 #629 2 8,289
IL Girls 0 #639 7 11,648
BO Girls 0 #648 4 9,488
IN Girls 0 #654 1 13,121
BR Boys 0 #674 78 12,213
SG Boys 0 #677 21 17,960
LB 0 #688 3 13,263
QA Boys 0 #691 17 18,093
CL Boys 0 #699 2 13,390
IT 0 #704 11 4,183
Finland Girls 2026 #723 16 3,895
NG Girls 0 #726 61 15,093
KW Boys 0 #747 23 18,755
NG Boys 0 #767 188 16,906
Germany Girls 0 #778 61 4,949
NL Boys 0 #824 128 5,873
NL Girls 0 #853 103 5,933
TN 0 #864 2 13,765
OM Boys 0 #865 17 17,948
United States Boys 2024 #868 25 7,044
SA Girls 0 #909 27 25,931
CL Girls 0 #914 2 14,098
Spain Boys 0 #918 13 5,610
Germany Boys 0 #920 33 5,697
MY Girls 0 #920 75 24,821
PE Boys 0 #922 5 14,506
EG Boys 0 #923 3 15,035
PE Girls 0 #931 13 14,861
CO Boys 0 #978 4 15,656
BR Girls 0 #991 2 12,708
ZA Girls 0 #999 143 25,928
EG Girls 0 #1,001 9 14,742
MX Boys 0 #1,028 6 16,355
IN Boys 0 #1,031 9 16,750
AE Boys 0 #1,052 41 22,615
CO Girls 0 #1,064 15 16,140
MY Boys 0 #1,095 17 25,439
MA 0 #1,118 11 20,986
MX Girls 0 #1,156 28 17,781
DZ 0 #1,165 12 20,130
TR 0 #1,200 12 19,440
IT Girls 0 #1,361 86 9,415
IT Boys 0 #1,434 38 10,046
SA Boys 0 #1,597 18 28,008

Sydney is popular in 69 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Canada
United States
Scotland, United Kingdom
Sweden

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Sydney

Sydney is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Sydney is a 2 syllable name, pronounced SID-nee (IPA: /ˈsɪdni/).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Sidney, Sydnee, Sydni, Sydnie, Sidnee and Sydny.
Across languages, Sydney has these equivalents: Sidonie (French feminine), Sidonius (Latin masculine), Sidonia (Latin/Slavic feminine).
Yes, very popular — Sydney ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 9 countries.
Sydney ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Yes — 5 notable people named Sydney are in our database, including Sydney Sweeney (Actor), Sydney Pollack (Actor), Sydney Chaplin (Actor).
Yes — at least 2 celebrity couples have chosen Sydney for their child, including Hannah Chaplin and Charlie Chaplin.