I know a lot of people dislike (variations of) place names. I don’t like most myself, but [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is one of the rare ones I do like.
But leaving like/dislike to the side, do you think [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] too feminine for a boy nowadays?
(I know [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] is the “feminine spelling”. But they are pronounced exactly the same, so my biggest worry is that when people hear the name rather than read it, they assume [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is a girl)
I didn’t even know it’s considered a girl name. This spelling is 100% male to me and I’d always expect a ‘[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]’ said aloud to be a boy. I don’t know that it’s a place name variant either- I believe [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] comes from a surname. I wouldn’t have any worries about using it if it were me 
Thank you, I never knew it was derived from a surname. I always thought it was an alternative spelling of [name_u]Sydney[/name_u]. The more you know 
I don’t mind that it’s a place name. But all the Sydneys I know are girls…
Yeah, [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] the city is named after a person named [name_m]Lord[/name_m] [name_u]Sydney[/name_u]. It’s not really a place name, no matter if it’s spelt with a y or an i. I have heard of it on girls, but I never really got it and I think it’s very dated as a girls’ name by now anyway. It’s very male-sounding to me as well.
I think it’s a really nice name, my great-great-grandfather was named [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_m]Frederic[/name_m] and he was pretty inspiring (one of my many ‘wikipedia-worthy’ relatives), so although I never met him to me it has very positive associations. I would have definitely considered using it as a middle name myself if I was still living in the UK.
I think it’s still perfectly acceptable on a boy, esp with the nn [name_m]Sid[/name_m] which most girls don’t go by. [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] Poitier is also a nice namesake. And/or [name_m]Sid[/name_m] Vicious, depending on your style. 
It sounds very male to me, however we know a female [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] so we can never use it. I actually was just talking about this name. I was going to be [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] Myself but it was rethought last minute… I would probably have suited it just fine but… Honestly while most people and media references are female lately it seems I find [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] & ‘[name_m]Sid[/name_m]’ decidedly male at this point in my life. Its a nice name that I would actually consider for a boy if I could get my dear husband on board and get past the conflics such as family thinking girl and other [name_u]Sidney[/name_u]'s… I think its safely unisex in its [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] spelling and the surname/ location doesn’t effect too much… But that’s just me. It bothers me enough that everyone here view it as female I guess… So I’m pro but perhaps feel it out locally?
I love it on a boy! I used it on one of my characters. I think it’s a great name.
I consider [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] a male gendered name. It’s wonderful!
I think [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] (with that spelling) is great for a boy!
I have always associated the name with [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] Carton from A Tale of Two Cities, who was an ultimately noble male character, so I think [name_u]Sidney[/name_u]/[name_u]Sydney[/name_u] makes a fine boy’s name
Sadly this name looks like it will be dropping off the top 1000 soon. After it got popular for girls the male version dropped like a rock. I love this name on a boy, the nickname [name_m]Sid[/name_m] makes it so fun like [name_m]Maxwell[/name_m].
[name_f]Every[/name_f] [name_u]Sydney[/name_u] I know is a girl, while every [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] I know is a boy. [name_u]Love[/name_u] it on a boy with its traditional spelling. [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is such a strong, masculine name that I don’t want it to slip into “girls’ territory”.
I love the name [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] on a boy, I used if for my fist son. He mostly goes by [name_m]Sid[/name_m], but I haven’t had any problems with people thinking he’s a girl or anything.
Thanks all! It’s great to know [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] has quite a few lovers
I’m the opposite of the repliers… I have NEVER heard [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] for a boy anywhere, on anyone… never even considered it. However I was just thinking it sounds great for a boy and how [name_m]Sid[/name_m] is such a better nn for a boy than a girl. I like it for a boy!
Also, [name_u]Sidney[/name_u]/[name_u]Sydney[/name_u] are declining in popularity for girls after peaking around the turn of the millennium - thus it’s one of those names that a boy would be less likely to share his name with a girl in his class than a few years ago.
I love [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] on a boy.
One of my favourite actors growing up was [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] Poitier (“To Sir With [name_u]Love[/name_u]”, “[name_f]Lilies[/name_f] of the [name_m]Field[/name_m]”, “In the Heat of the [name_m]Night[/name_m]”, “Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner” etc… ). One of the best hockey players around is [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] “The Kid” [name_m]Crosby[/name_m], then there’s best-selling author [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] [name_u]Sheldon[/name_u], director [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] Lumet and [name_u]Charlie[/name_u] [name_m]Chaplin[/name_m]'s half-brother and son. I also remember [name_m]Sid[/name_m] Vicious of the punk rock band, The Sex Pistols. Those are all of the MALE Sidneys I can remember at the moment but I’m sure I’m missing some others. I don’t get all of the hysteria about “it’s only a girls name”. The name is taken from an English surname so it was a last name long before the Australian city. I think the name is quite handsome and distinguished and it would be quite refreshing to hear it on a boy.
Like the above poster, I immediately thought of [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] Poitier. [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] is a handsome name for a boy. When people hear “[name_u]Sidney[/name_u]” out loud, they may immediately think it’s a girl’s name, but it’s not so firmly entrenched in girl territory to render it odd or unusable for a boy.
Now that I’m talking about it, I quite like [name_u]Sidney[/name_u] for a boy. I’ll try not to steal it. 