Sydney
Girl name · #348 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Sydney? In official American birth records, Sydney has been tracked continuously since 1886, giving it 139 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 873 baby girls were named Sydney, placing it at #348 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #122, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,062 girls born in 2025 was named Sydney.
The 139-year story
Sydney first appears in the Social Security records in 1886, when 8 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2000, when 10,243 girls were named Sydney — good for #23 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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.
Babies named Sydney per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sydney against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sydney in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sydney is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Sydney is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sydney is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Sydney is most common in CT (1.6 per 1,000), MA (1.2 per 1,000), WI (1.2 per 1,000), MN (1.1 per 1,000), CO (1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.7 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Sydney is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Sydney
Statistically, parents drawn to Sydney tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Delaney, Bailey, Cassidy, Destiny, and Serena.
DelaneyBaileyCassidyDestinySerenaHaleySierraLaney
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sydney | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 873 | #348 |
| 2024 | 1,104 | #288 |
| 2023 | 1,003 | #307 |
| 2022 | 1,169 | #271 |
| 2021 | 1,231 | #249 |
| 2020 | 1,246 | #241 |
| 2019 | 1,535 | #197 |
| 2018 | 1,757 | #164 |
| 2017 | 2,013 | #146 |
| 2016 | 2,322 | #135 |
| 2015 | 2,660 | #122 |
| 2014 | 2,855 | #109 |
| 2013 | 3,177 | #98 |
| 2012 | 3,456 | #78 |
| 2011 | 3,974 | #65 |
| 2010 | 4,335 | #60 |
| 2009 | 5,061 | #48 |
| 2008 | 5,264 | #49 |
| 2007 | 6,032 | #37 |
| 2006 | 6,516 | #34 |
| 2005 | 7,376 | #30 |
| 2004 | 8,368 | #27 |
| 2003 | 8,911 | #25 |
| 2002 | 9,034 | #23 |
| 2001 | 9,639 | #23 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sydney?
In official American birth records, the name Sydney first appeared in 1886 (over 139 years ago), when 8 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Sydney a popular girl name?
Sydney ranked #348 among girls in 2025 with 873 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #122.
When was the name Sydney most popular?
Sydney peaked in 2000, when 10,243 American girls received the name (ranked #23 that year). Since 2000 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sydney?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,062 newborn American girls was named Sydney. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.