Help me choose the best spelling for “Sydney”!

[LouisaJoanne]

Hi everyone,

I know you’re probably not going to like what I’m about to say, but I’m completely in love with the name Sydney for a girl and I’m a bit stuck on the spelling. I’ve made a little poll with some options I’ve seen floating around: Sydney, Sydnie, Sydni, Cydney, and Cidnie.

I’m leaning more towards Sydnie, as I love the name but don’t really want the obvious link to the Australian city. I also knew someone with that spelling growing up, so it’s the only one that doesn’t feel too far-fetched… or am I just overthinking this?

Just to be honest, Cydney and Cidnie are probably too “out there” for me, I don’t think the ‘C’ really works with this name at all but I included them to see what other people might think and to get some inspiration.

I’m also really loving Sophie/Sophia as a middle name, but I’ve just realised that would give her SS initials. Do you have any favourite middle name ideas that would flow nicely?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! Do you have a favourite spelling? Any experiences with these spellings (good or bad!)? Or any other suggestions I might not have thought of?

Thanks so much in advance!

I thought it was spelt Sidonie for a female? But it was pronounced Sid - oh - nee.

That's a completely different name.

Sydnie Jean 🥰

Any other spelling than Sydney some people in the future will assume you can't spell @LouisaJoanne

Why give your child obstacles in their life like having to always spell their name?

All awful apart from Sydney, if you have to.

Seedknee?

Sydney, if you must. The other spellings are horrible.

Why do you think mangling the spelling will stop people thinking of the city when it’s still pronounced exactly the same and most of the time the name will be spoken

If you don’t want that association the solution is picking a different name. All of the tragedeigh spellings are dreadful. Cecily, Sylvie, Serena, Cindy?

Just spell it properly- save your child a lifetime of having to spell their name out to people!

I just don’t think you can avoid the Australian city connection however you spell it.

Just stop already!

Sidonie or Sydney

How about Sydneigh?

(#tragedeigh)

Sydney. The others are all irredeemably awful. Don't do that to her.

Sidonie is at least an actual (French) girls’ name - I love it

It needs to be Sydney

It is. It's of French origin. Love it, very elegant.

Just spell it the traditional way or you and your dd will spend a lifetime correcting people.

Sydney is the only normal way to spell it the others look odd (and I love a name ending in “ie” but not for Sydney.

If you use the C options you'll get people pronouncing it as a K sound. And probably mangling the rest of the sounds because they won't recognise how it's supposed to sound. I'm fairly relaxed about spelling variants but in this case I think they're both terrible and asking for trouble!

As others have said, most of the use of her name will be verbal so if you have an issue with the connection to the city you need to choose a different name.

Sydney for a girl. Sidney for a boy.

Anything else just looks illiterate - sorry!

Cidnie looks suspiciously like kidney to me.
Sydney used to be a male name. What happened?

All the Sidonies I know pronounce it Sidney and most call themselves Sid.

Sydney or Sidney are the only two ways I've seen it spelt, anything else looks like you're trying to be unique for the sake off it. Either way I dont think you're getting away from the connection to the city.