Sidney (often shortened to Sid) is an English given name deriving from the surname, itself of two different derivations depending on the origins of the family. In some cases a place name, itself from Old English, meaning "wide water meadow", and in others from the French place name "St. Denis".[1]
| Pronunciation | /ˈsidni/ |
|---|---|
| Gender | Unisex |
| Language(s) | English |
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Old English |
| Word/name | Sidney (surname) |
| Meaning | "wide water meadow" |
| Region of origin | England |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | |
| Short form(s) | Sid |
| Related names | Sidy |
Sidney became widely used as a given name in English-speaking countries during the 19th century. It was popularised in the United States after the American Revolution due to admiration for the English politician Algernon Sidney as a martyr to royal tyranny;[2] since its peak in the 1910s its usage has declined steadily. From the early 1990s to the 2000s, the name Sidney has become a fashionable name given to girls. Sydney is also a spelling variant of the name whatever the gender; other variants include Cydney and Cidney for a girl.