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Usenet Posted 22 years ago
Usage
Sidney as a female name
I've just been reading "A suitable vengeance" by Elizabeth George, and have found it rather disconcerting to read about a female character with the name "Sidney".
I've never encountered a female Sidney in real life, and the image that comes to mind is my wife's uncle Sid, who was a rather boring old geezer with grey hair. Calling an (apparently) glamorous female character "Sidney" is a bit like calling one "Alfred" or "Stanley" or some other popular Victorian/Edwardian male name.
I've read a number of other books by Elizabeth George she writes wodunits, featuring Scotland Yard detectives Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers, and their friends and colleagues. Among these are Simon St James, who is both a friend of Lynley and a specialist in forensic medicine. The Sidney is Simon St James's sister, but doesn't appeaer to feature in most of the novels, which is why I've only encountered her now.
My question is, has Sidney become a common female name in Britain? And if so, when did it become popular? Has anyone else encountered female Sidneys, in literature or real life? Am I the only one who finds this strange as a female name?
To genealogists out there - has anyone found a female Sidney on a census? If anyone has the 1881 census discs, is it possible to search for the number of Sidneys, and see how many are male or female?
Steve Hayes
E-mail: (Email Removed)
Web: http://www.geocities.com/hayesstw/stevesig.htm http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/books.htm
I've never encountered a female Sidney in real life, and the image that comes to mind is my wife's uncle Sid, who was a rather boring old geezer with grey hair. Calling an (apparently) glamorous female character "Sidney" is a bit like calling one "Alfred" or "Stanley" or some other popular Victorian/Edwardian male name.
I've read a number of other books by Elizabeth George she writes wodunits, featuring Scotland Yard detectives Thomas Lynley and Barbara Havers, and their friends and colleagues. Among these are Simon St James, who is both a friend of Lynley and a specialist in forensic medicine. The Sidney is Simon St James's sister, but doesn't appeaer to feature in most of the novels, which is why I've only encountered her now.
My question is, has Sidney become a common female name in Britain? And if so, when did it become popular? Has anyone else encountered female Sidneys, in literature or real life? Am I the only one who finds this strange as a female name?
To genealogists out there - has anyone found a female Sidney on a census? If anyone has the 1881 census discs, is it possible to search for the number of Sidneys, and see how many are male or female?
Steve Hayes
E-mail: (Email Removed)
Web: http://www.geocities.com/hayesstw/stevesig.htm http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/books.htm
Top answer
[/nq] Well, it has in the United States. From the U. S.
- [/nq] Well, it has in the United States.
- From the U.
- S.
- " Regards, Frank Young (Email Removed) 703-527-7684 Post Office Box 2793, Kensington, Maryland 20891 "Videmus nunc per speculum in aenigmate...
- Nunc cognosco ex parte"
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154 Answers
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[nq:1]My question is, has Sidney become a common female name in Britain?[/nq]
Well, it has in the United States. From the U. S. Census Bureau on the most common names given to babies in 2003, we have: "Interestingly Sydney as a female name ranked as the 25th most popular name while Sidney as a male name ranked lower at 685."
Regards, Frank Young
(Email Removed) 703-527-7684 Post O
Well, it has in the United States. From the U. S. Census Bureau on the most common names given to babies in 2003, we have: "Interestingly Sydney as a female name ranked as the 25th most popular name while Sidney as a male name ranked lower at 685."
Regards, Frank Young
(Email Removed) 703-527-7684 Post O
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[nq:1]I've just been reading "A suitable vengeance" by Elizabeth George, and have found it rather disconcerting to read about a ... census discs, is it possible to search for the number of Sidneys, and see how many are male or female?[/nq]
"Sidney" is a fairly common female name in the USA (OJ Simpson's younger daughter is called Sidney), which might be more to the point. Elizabeth George is a
"Sidney" is a fairly common female name in the USA (OJ Simpson's younger daughter is called Sidney), which might be more to the point. Elizabeth George is a
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[nq:2]My question is, has Sidney become a common female name in Britain?[/nq]
[nq:1]Well, it has in the United States. From the U. S. Census Bureau on the most common names given to ... a female name ranked as the 25th most popular name while Sidney as a male name ranked lower at 685."[/nq]
Isn't there some evidence that, once a name becomes popular as a female name, it falls out of favour
[nq:1]Well, it has in the United States. From the U. S. Census Bureau on the most common names given to ... a female name ranked as the 25th most popular name while Sidney as a male name ranked lower at 685."[/nq]
Isn't there some evidence that, once a name becomes popular as a female name, it falls out of favour
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I don't have access to the 1881 census, but a quick search of the 1891 census returned 433 results for female Sidneys, although a quick check of the first few pages of results shows several were entered as female but their relationship to the HOH is "son." By contrast, a search for male Sidneys returned 45,820 results. In 1871, the results are 115 females; 6,019 males. I don't believe either of th
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I too find it hard to get used to; but my sister assures me that she's found and liked it in 20C literature.
Withycombe's Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names , 1977, (that's going to need renaming, on two counts, if it hasn't happened already!) says it's not uncommon in Ireland, and relates probably it to 'Sidony'/'Sidonia'/'Sindonia'. The sindon, or sendon, in question is the Turin S
Withycombe's Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names , 1977, (that's going to need renaming, on two counts, if it hasn't happened already!) says it's not uncommon in Ireland, and relates probably it to 'Sidony'/'Sidonia'/'Sindonia'. The sindon, or sendon, in question is the Turin S
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(re 'Sidney' as a girl's name)
[nq:1]Withycombe's Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names , 1977, (that's going to need renaming, on two counts, if it hasn't happened already!) says it's not uncommon in Ireland, and relates probably it to 'Sidony'/'Sidonia'/'Sindonia'.[/nq]
Well, that's not too surprising. This newfangled popularity of 'Sidney' as a female name smacks of Hiberno-Brito
[nq:1]Withycombe's Oxford Dictionary of English Christian Names , 1977, (that's going to need renaming, on two counts, if it hasn't happened already!) says it's not uncommon in Ireland, and relates probably it to 'Sidony'/'Sidonia'/'Sindonia'.[/nq]
Well, that's not too surprising. This newfangled popularity of 'Sidney' as a female name smacks of Hiberno-Brito
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[nq:1]I too find it hard to get used to; but my sister assures me that she's found and liked ... formerly used by Roman Catholics for girls born about the date of the Feast of the Winding Sheet...'the Sacred Sendon'."[/nq]
I knew a Sidonie at university. (Why are you masquerading under another monniker?)
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
I knew a Sidonie at university. (Why are you masquerading under another monniker?)
Laura
(emulate St. George for email)
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[nq:1]My question is, has Sidney become a common female name in Britain? And if so, when did it become popular? Has anyone else encountered female Sidneys, in literature or real life? Am I the only one who finds this strange as a female name?[/nq]
Certainly is increasingly popular in the US. From my favorite name site:
Sydney (Female)
- -
Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 199
Certainly is increasingly popular in the US. From my favorite name site:
Sydney (Female)
- -
Year 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 199
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[nq:2]My question is, has Sidney become a common female name ... only one who finds this strange as a female name?[/nq]
[nq:1]Certainly is increasingly popular in the US. From my favorite name site: Sydney (Female) - - Year 1990 1991 1992 ... 2001 2002 Rank 155 138 127 111 77 44 41 35 29 24 [/nq]
[nq:2]Brian Rodenborn[/nq]
Nice site. I notice the name "Josie" fell to a historical low d
[nq:1]Certainly is increasingly popular in the US. From my favorite name site: Sydney (Female) - - Year 1990 1991 1992 ... 2001 2002 Rank 155 138 127 111 77 44 41 35 29 24 [/nq]
[nq:2]Brian Rodenborn[/nq]
Nice site. I notice the name "Josie" fell to a historical low d
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[nq:1]I've just been reading "A suitable vengeance" by Elizabeth George, andhave found it rather disconcerting to read about a female ... 1881 census discs, is it possible to search for the numberof Sidneys, and see how many are male or female?[/nq]
I used to work with a female Sydney in Texas.. Then there's Sydney Biddle Barrows..
ObBook: MAYFLOWER MADAM
But in Auld Virginny, there ar
I used to work with a female Sydney in Texas.. Then there's Sydney Biddle Barrows..
ObBook: MAYFLOWER MADAM
But in Auld Virginny, there ar
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