Emma Girl
EH-muh
“whole, universal” · Germanic
#3
Sybil
GirlGreek· “prophetess”
- Meaning
- prophetess
- Origin
- Greek
- Pronunciation
- SIH-buhl
- Syllables
- 2
- US rank 2025
- #1,426
- US babies 2025
- 152
- Best rank
- #282 (1919)
- Peak year
- 1921
Meaning and origin of Sybil
Sybil is a Greek name that means “prophetess”.
Sybil comes from the Greek sibylla, the title of the prophetesses of the ancient world, such as the Sibyl of Cumae. Through the Sibylline Books and medieval legends that credited the sibyls with foretelling the coming of Christ, the word gained respectability and became a given name in Christian Europe. The Normans brought it to England. The spelling Sybil was popularized by Benjamin Disraeli's novel Sybil, published in 1845, and the name had a distinctly aristocratic flavor in Britain. It is said SIH-buhl. Sibyl and Sibylla are related forms, and it now reads as quirky and vintage.
Popularity over time
Sybil first appears in US Social Security records in 1881. It has ranked in the top 1,000 in 85 different years, starting in 1881. Its best national rank was #282 in 1919, and the most babies received it in 1921, when 541 were named Sybil. In 2025, 152 babies were named Sybil, and it ranked #1,426 nationally. That is 67% more than ten years earlier, so it is clearly on the rise.
Its national rank moved from #296 in 1920, #583 in 1950, #1,360 in 1980, #6,769 in 2000, #9,727 in 2010, and #1,426 in 2025. Of the 20,360 US girls named Sybil since records began, 22% were born in the 1920s, its biggest decade. The 1930s come next, with 3,119 babies. Since 2010, 1,546 more have been named Sybil.
Other girls' names that peaked around the same time include Carmella, Neva, Margery, Alyce, and Harriett.
Where it is most popular (2025)
In 2025, Sybil ranked highest in Utah, Maryland, and Colorado.
Gender, sound and spelling
In the US it is used almost only for girls.
Sybil is usually pronounced SIH-buhl, with two syllables. It has five letters, starts with S and ends in “-il”.
Middle names for Sybil
A few middle names that flow with Sybil: each avoids a matching first letter, a rhyme and a vowel clash where the names meet.
Sibling names for Sybil
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Lists that include Sybil
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sybil mean?
Sybil is a Greek name that means “prophetess”.
What is the origin of the name Sybil?
Sybil has Greek roots. Sybil comes from the Greek sibylla, the title of the prophetesses of the ancient world, such as the Sibyl of Cumae.
Is Sybil a popular name?
Not especially. Sybil ranked #1,426 in the US in 2025, which puts it outside the top 1,000.
Is Sybil a boy or girl name?
Sybil is mainly a girl's name. In the US it is used almost only for girls.
How do you pronounce Sybil?
Sybil is usually pronounced SIH-buhl. Stressed syllables are in capital letters.
Popularity figures come from US Social Security card applications (names given to at least five babies in a year, 1880 to 2025). How we source names and meanings