Sybil
A female given name from Ancient Greek, the most popular spelling variant of Sibyl since the 19th century.
Every Sybil since 1881 — 20,365 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sybil
Sybil is uncommon for girls in the United States, ranked #1,426 in 2025 with 152 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 20,365 American babies have been named Sybil. Its peak came in 1921, when 541 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Sybil stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sybil year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 152 | #1,426 | — | — |
| 2024 | 136 | #1,567 | — | — |
| 2023 | 154 | #1,452 | — | — |
| 2022 | 145 | #1,503 | — | — |
| 2021 | 123 | #1,694 | — | — |
| 2020 | 101 | #1,907 | — | — |
| 2019 | 124 | #1,697 | — | — |
| 2018 | 109 | #1,866 | — | — |
| 2017 | 111 | #1,853 | — | — |
| 2016 | 106 | #1,907 | — | — |
| 2015 | 91 | #2,122 | — | — |
| 2014 | 86 | #2,211 | — | — |
| 2013 | 67 | #2,656 | — | — |
| 2012 | 16 | #7,760 | — | — |
| 2011 | 13 | #9,089 | — | — |
| 2010 | 12 | #9,727 | — | — |
| 2009 | 12 | #9,915 | — | — |
| 2008 | 18 | #7,378 | — | — |
| 2007 | 15 | #8,473 | — | — |
| 2006 | 19 | #6,804 | — | — |
| 2005 | 20 | #6,219 | — | — |
| 2004 | 15 | #7,796 | — | — |
| 2003 | 9 | #11,221 | — | — |
| 2002 | 8 | #12,067 | — | — |
| 2001 | 18 | #6,286 | — | — |
| 2000 | 16 | #6,769 | — | — |
| 1995 | 20 | #5,006 | — | — |
| 1990 | 33 | #3,350 | — | — |
| 1985 | 32 | #2,928 | — | — |
| 1980 | 93 | #1,360 | — | — |
| 1975 | 119 | #1,020 | — | — |
| 1970 | 76 | #1,386 | — | — |
| 1965 | 153 | #802 | — | — |
| 1960 | 165 | #808 | — | — |
| 1955 | 178 | #709 | — | — |
| 1950 | 208 | #583 | — | — |
| 1945 | 241 | #462 | — | — |
| 1940 | 368 | #333 | — | — |
| 1935 | 287 | #374 | — | — |
| 1930 | 318 | #385 | — | — |
| 1925 | 442 | #319 | — | — |
| 1920 | 483 | #296 | — | — |
| 1915 | 269 | #365 | — | — |
| 1910 | 106 | #384 | — | — |
| 1905 | 60 | #437 | — | — |
| 1900 | 64 | #422 | — | — |
| 1895 | 29 | #562 | — | — |
| 1890 | 10 | #932 | — | — |
| 1885 | 10 | #738 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Sybil
- Sybil Danning Actor · b. 1952
- Sybil Thorndike Actor · 1882–1976
- Sybil Bauer Swimmer · 1903–1927
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sybil mean?
A female given name from Ancient Greek, the most popular spelling variant of Sibyl since the 19th century.
How popular is the name Sybil in 2025?
Sybil ranked #1,426 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 152 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sybil?
20,365 babies have been named Sybil in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sybil most popular?
Sybil peaked in 1921, when 541 newborns received the name.
Is Sybil a boy or girl name?
Sybil is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sybil rising or falling?
Sybil is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Sybil?
Well-known people named Sybil include Sybil Danning (actor), Sybil Thorndike (actor), Sybil Bauer (swimmer).