How to say it
SYD · ney
/ˈsɪd.ni/
Feminine
Sydney
Wide meadow
What it means
An English surname, 'wide meadow' or 'wide island,' sometimes traced to the French Saint-Denis.
Sydney is an English surname meaning 'wide meadow' or 'wide riverside land,' with an alternate theory tracing it to a contraction of Saint-Denis. The Australian city, named for the 18th-century Lord Sydney, carries it worldwide. As a first name it tipped strongly feminine with the -y-d-ney spelling, while Sidney leans masculine. Syd and Sydnee are the spin-offs. Actress Sydney Sweeney keeps it current.
Popularity over time
peaked at #23 in 1999, currently #348 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
Sydney leans feminine, Sidney masculine; same name underneath.
- Worth knowing
Shares its name with the Australian city.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Sydney Sweeney American actress
- Sydney Australia's largest city
Spelling variants
- Sidney
- Sydnee
- Cydney
Names with the same feeling
See Sydney from another angle
By style