The name Sidney has two meanings:
1. It comes from a surname, which is derived from a place name meaning "wide island" or "wide meadow" in Old English.
2. It comes from an Old French surname, which is derived from a French place name meaning "Saint-Denis".
Famous bearers
Bearers include Sidney Lanier (1842 - 1881), an American poet and musician;
Sidney Sheldon (1917 - 2007), an American writer;
Sidney Lumet (born 1924), an American film director;
Sidney Poitier (born 1927), a Bahamian-American actor and director.
