Sigourney
A girl's name of French origin with 392 recorded U.S. births.
Meaning & Origin
A surname from French.
Sigourney is a girl's baby name of French origin, a surname transferred to a given name, meaning approximately 'one who lives by the conqueror's territory.' Its most famous bearer is actress Sigourney Weaver — born Susan — who adopted her character name and made it iconic through her role as Ellen Ripley in Alien (1979).
Powerful and unmistakable, Sigourney is forever linked to one of cinema's greatest action heroines — a name that carries the gravity and presence of a true original.
EtymologyShow more
Names travel. They cross oceans, change spelling, shift pronunciation, and accumulate new associations with each culture that adopts them. Sigourney is rooted in the French tradition, but its presence in American naming since 1984 means it has been shaped by English phonetics, local customs, and the cultural context of the families who chose it.
Sigourney’s rarity (392 recorded births) may indicate it is strongly tied to a specific cultural community or family tradition, rather than part of the broader American naming mainstream.
At a Glance
Popularity Over Time
Sigourney was #11487 twenty years ago and has since drifted to #17285, but its charm endures.
Popularity by Decade
| Decade | Births | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 34 | ▼ |
| 2010s | 40 | ▼ |
| 2000s | 50 | ▼ |
| 1990s | 161 | ▲ |
| 1980s | 107 | — |
The Story of Sigourney
A Millennial name
Peaking in 1989, Sigourney is a Millennial-era classic. Girls named Sigourney are most likely born between 1984 and 1999.
How rare is Sigourney?
Only about 1 in every 720,000 babies born in 2024 was named Sigourney — a truly uncommon choice.
The journey through the decades
First appeared in the records in 1984, peaked in the 1990s with 161 births that decade, and has gracefully settled into a quieter chapter.
Sigourney by the numbers
- Would fill 8 school buses
- Meeting one Sigourney per day would take 1.1 years
Year-by-Year Data
View complete yearly data(33 years, 1984–2024)
| Year | Births | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 5 | #17285 |
| 2023 | 10 | #10202 |
| 2022 | 6 | #15056 |
| 2021 | 7 | #13283 |
| 2020 | 6 | #14859 |
| 2019 | 8 | #12297 |
| 2018 | 5 | #17785 |
| 2015 | 8 | #12853 |
| 2014 | 6 | #16239 |
| 2011 | 6 | #16498 |
| 2010 | 7 | #14743 |
| 2005 | 8 | #12853 |
| 2004 | 9 | #11487 |
| 2003 | 8 | #12246 |
| 2002 | 10 | #10130 |
| 2001 | 9 | #10905 |
| 2000 | 6 | #14765 |
| 1999 | 8 | #11227 |
| 1998 | 13 | #7475 |
| 1997 | 12 | #7679 |
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration. Showing years with 5+ recorded births.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sigourney a boy's or girl's name?
When was Sigourney most popular?
How popular is the name Sigourney?
Explore More
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration, 1984–2024