Sidney
Boy name · #1323 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 146 baby boys were named Sidney, placing it at #1323 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1086, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,329 boys born in 2025 was named Sidney.
Babies named Sidney per year. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Sidney first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 142 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,879 boys were named Sidney — good for #94 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sidney against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sidney in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sidney is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sidney will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sidney is most common
State-level data for Sidney is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Sidney
Statistically, parents drawn to Sidney tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Aubrey, Charley, Percy, Milton, and Elmer.
AubreyCharleyPercyMiltonElmerHarryWileyLuther
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sidney | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 146 | #1323 |
| 2024 | 137 | #1371 |
| 2023 | 160 | #1230 |
| 2022 | 166 | #1200 |
| 2021 | 132 | #1383 |
| 2020 | 166 | #1160 |
| 2019 | 177 | #1112 |
| 2018 | 168 | #1141 |
| 2017 | 177 | #1100 |
| 2016 | 196 | #1022 |
| 2015 | 180 | #1086 |
| 2014 | 167 | #1137 |
| 2013 | 210 | #948 |
| 2012 | 226 | #916 |
| 2011 | 231 | #893 |
| 2010 | 259 | #827 |
| 2009 | 254 | #843 |
| 2008 | 270 | #812 |
| 2007 | 254 | #839 |
| 2006 | 255 | #801 |
| 2005 | 222 | #834 |
| 2004 | 267 | #717 |
| 2003 | 285 | #680 |
| 2002 | 274 | #676 |
| 2001 | 315 | #612 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sidney a popular boy name?
Sidney ranked #1323 among boys in 2025 with 146 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1086.
When was the name Sidney most popular?
Sidney peaked in 1918, when 1,879 American boys received the name (ranked #94 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sidney?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,329 newborn American boys was named Sidney. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.