Sybil
Girl name · #1423 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Sybil? In official American birth records, Sybil has been tracked continuously since 1881, giving it 144 years of documented American history.
Sybil ranks #1423 among American girls' names as of 2025, with 152 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2113, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 11,842 girls born in 2025 was named Sybil.
Babies named Sybil per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 144-year story
Sybil first appears in the Social Security records in 1881, when 6 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 541 girls were named Sybil — good for #285 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 Sybil against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sybil in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sybil is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sybil will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sybil is most common
State-level data for Sybil 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 Sybil
Statistically, parents drawn to Sybil tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Nell, Inez, Effie, Dolly, and Agnes.
NellInezEffieDollyAgnesLeoraViolaMable
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sybil | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 152 | #1423 |
| 2024 | 136 | #1559 |
| 2023 | 154 | #1446 |
| 2022 | 145 | #1497 |
| 2021 | 123 | #1680 |
| 2020 | 101 | #1893 |
| 2019 | 124 | #1687 |
| 2018 | 109 | #1852 |
| 2017 | 111 | #1842 |
| 2016 | 106 | #1897 |
| 2015 | 91 | #2113 |
| 2014 | 86 | #2194 |
| 2013 | 67 | #2626 |
| 2012 | 16 | #7456 |
| 2011 | 13 | #8614 |
| 2010 | 12 | #9231 |
| 2009 | 12 | #9379 |
| 2008 | 18 | #7073 |
| 2007 | 15 | #8098 |
| 2006 | 19 | #6592 |
| 2005 | 20 | #5999 |
| 2004 | 15 | #7391 |
| 2003 | 9 | #10425 |
| 2002 | 8 | #11108 |
| 2001 | 18 | #6067 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sybil?
In official American birth records, the name Sybil first appeared in 1881 (over 144 years ago), when 6 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Sybil a popular girl name?
Sybil ranked #1423 among girls in 2025 with 152 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2113.
When was the name Sybil most popular?
Sybil peaked in 1921, when 541 American girls received the name (ranked #285 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sybil?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 11,842 newborn American girls was named Sybil. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.