NameCensus.

UK boy's name

Sid

A diminutive masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "Lord".

For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2024. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.

Sid is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Sid popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2024 in this profile. In that release it ranked #1402, with 19 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2011, with 45 births.

This profile covers 726 England and Wales registrations across 29 recorded years from 1996 to 2024. The figures come from ONS England and Wales and NRS Scotland, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.

The latest count is about 42% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.

We estimate that about 724 living people in the UK are called Sid. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2025 or 2026.

Key insights

  • Sid ranked #1402 for boys in England and Wales in 2024, with 19 registrations.
  • The name peaked in 2011, when 45 boys were registered as Sid.
  • Sid ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #733 in 2017.
  • About 724 living people in the UK are estimated to have Sid as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.

Latest rank (E&W)

#1402

2024

Births in 2024

19

Latest year

Peak year

2011

45 births

Estimated living

724

2026

Meaning

What does Sid mean?

The name Sid has its origins in the Arabic language and is a diminutive or shortened form of the name Siddiq, which means "truthful" or "honest." This name has been used across various cultures and regions influenced by Islamic traditions.

The earliest recorded usage of the name Sid can be traced back to the 7th century, around the time of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. One of the most notable historical figures bearing this name was Abu Bakr Siddiq, a close companion of Prophet Muhammad and the first Caliph (ruler) of the Islamic empire after the prophet's death.

In ancient Arabic texts and Islamic scriptures, Siddiq is mentioned as an honorific title bestowed upon Abu Bakr for his unwavering loyalty and commitment to the truth. The name Sid, as a shortened form, gained popularity among Muslims and eventually spread to other regions and cultures.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Sid. One example is Sidi Bel Abbes, a renowned Moroccan Islamic scholar and Sufi mystic who lived in the 13th century. Another prominent figure was Siddi Habib, an Indian Sufi saint and scholar from the 17th century, who played a significant role in spreading Islam in the Indian subcontinent.

In the literary realm, Sidi Khalifah, an 18th-century Moroccan scholar and historian, authored several important works on the history and culture of North Africa. Additionally, Sidi Ifni was a Moroccan resistance leader who fought against the Spanish colonial forces in the early 20th century.

Moving to more recent times, Sidi Lamine Dieng was a prominent Senegalese politician and statesman who served as the President of Senegal from 1981 to 1988. He played a crucial role in the country's development and democratization process.

It is important to note that while the name Sid has its roots in Arabic and Islamic culture, it has transcended cultural boundaries and is now used by people of various backgrounds and ethnicities around the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

Popularity

Sid over time

The chart below shows babies named Sid registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 1996 to 2024. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.

For Sid, the clearest high point is 2011. The latest England and Wales figure is 19 births in 2024, compared with 45 at the peak.

Babies born per year

Sid
011233445199620102024

Decades

Sid by decade

Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Sid was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.

Decade Average rank Total births Years covered
2020s #1105 136 5
2010s #1020 294 10
2000s #903 246 10
1990s #1126 50 4

Geography

Where Sid is most common

The bars show the latest published local birth counts for Sid. They are useful for spotting where the name is showing up in real numbers, while the rank beside each bar shows how strongly it performs inside that region.

Sid ranks best in Scotland in the latest published regional snapshot for that area, where it placed #733 in 2017.

Scotland
3

Across the UK

Sid in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Scotland (NRS)

#733 in 2017

1 years of NRS records, 3 total registered

Notable bearers

Famous people named Sid

  • Sid Owen

    actor; television presenter; restaurateur; television actor

    British actor

    1972-

  • Sid Wallace

    association football player

    English footballer (born 1957)

    1957-

  • Sid Smith

    musician; music journalist

    British musician

    1957-

  • Sid Rawle

    actor; activist

    British activist

    1945-2010

  • Sid Waddell

    writer; television presenter; journalist

    British sports commentator (1940–2012)

    1940-2012

  • Sid Purkis

    athletics competitor

    English athlete

    1938-2008

  • Sid Russell

    association football player; cricketer

    cricketer (1937-1994)

    1937-1994

  • Sid Watkins

    physician; neurologist; surgeon; neurosurgeon

    English neurosurgeon and Formula One doctor

    1928-2012

Related

Names similar to Sid

FAQ

Sid: questions and answers

How popular is the name Sid in the UK right now?

In 2024, Sid was ranked #1402 for boys in England and Wales, with 19 births registered.

When was Sid most popular?

The peak year on record was 2011, with 45 babies registered as Sid in England and Wales.

What is the meaning and origin of Sid?

A diminutive masculine name of Sanskrit origin meaning "Lord".

How many people are called Sid in the UK?

A total of 726 babies have been registered as Sid across the 29 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here, plus 3 more in Scotland.

Where is Sid most common?

In the latest published local rankings, Sid ranks best in Scotland, where it placed #733 in 2017. The regional bars on this page use birth counts, so they also reflect the size of each region.

Which records is this page based on?

The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.