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Sydney

Girl / Boy name · 128 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Sydney: 128 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to both boys and girls, peaking at 12 births in 2025.

Sydney has an elegant, dual-heritage feel, most naturally arriving as a variant of the French place-name Saint-Denis, which itself was adapted by English speakers and used as a surname before becoming a given name. The first syllable is sometimes linked to the Old English *sīd* meaning "wide" or "broad meadow," though this is a later folk etymology. Historically, the most famous bearer is probably Sir Philip Sidney, the Elizabethan poet, courtier, and soldier, whose surname was spelled both "Sydney" and "Sidney." The name is also forever tied to the stunning Australian harbour city of Sydney, named after Lord Sydney, the British Home Secretary. Today, Sydney is a popular, stylish unisex choice, balancing a classic literary pedigree with a cool, worldly air.