Sigourney
Meaning of Sigourney
The name Sigourney is of Anglo-Norman provenance, originating as the locative surname Sigournay—itself derived from Old French segern (from Latin seges, “victory”)—and subsequently repurposed in English-speaking contexts as a feminine forename. Its adoption in the eighteenth century is well attested in onomastic scholarship, while its cultural resonance was magnified in the late twentieth century by the prominence of American actress Sigourney Weaver. Phonetically rendered as sɪˈɡɜː(r)ni in contemporary English, Sigourney preserves both its etymological connotation of triumph and its characteristic Norman phonotactics. Though never achieving mass-market popularity, the name’s periodic yet modest presence in United States birth records over recent decades has reinforced its status as a distinctive appellation, exemplifying the broader anglophone phenomenon of locational surnames transitioning into established feminine given names.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as sih-GUR-nee (/sɪˈɡɜːni/)
American English
- Pronunced as sih-GUR-nee (/sɪˈɡɜrni/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Sigourney
| Sigourney Weaver - |
