What Does the Name Sydney Mean?
Sydney is a unisex name of English (from the surname Sidney) origin meaning “from the wide meadow / from Saint-Denis.”
Updated June 2026
| Name | Sydney |
|---|---|
| Gender | unisex |
| Origin | English (from the surname Sidney) |
| Meaning | from the wide meadow / from Saint-Denis |
| Variants | Sidney, Sydnee, Sydnie, Cydney |
| Popularity | A popular girls' name in the United States, especially in the 1990s and 2000s; the 'Sidney' spelling skews more masculine. |
The meaning and origin of Sydney
The name Sydney means “from the wide meadow / from Saint-Denis” and has English (from the surname Sidney) origins. A variant of the surname Sidney, derived either from Old English 'sīd ēg' ('wide island/meadow') or from the Norman French place Saint-Denis. The 'Sydney' spelling is strongly associated with the Australian city and used mainly for girls.
Variants and related names
Sydney is related to several other names you may recognize: Sidney, Sydnee, Sydnie, Cydney. These share a common root or are spelling and language variants of the same name.
How popular is the name Sydney?
A popular girls' name in the United States, especially in the 1990s and 2000s; the 'Sidney' spelling skews more masculine.
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Open the name generator →Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sydney mean?+
The name Sydney means “from the wide meadow / from Saint-Denis” and is of English (from the surname Sidney) origin.
What is the origin of the name Sydney?+
Sydney originates from English (from the surname Sidney).
Is Sydney a popular name?+
Yes — see the popularity note above for how Sydney has trended in the US over time.
Sydney by gender
More unisex names
Sources
- Behind the Name — Etymology and history of first names — Behind the Name
- US Social Security Administration — Popular baby names by year — Social Security Administration
- A Dictionary of First Names — Oxford Reference — Oxford University Press