Sylvan

Sylvan - A very unique male name

Sylvan appeared on the charts for the first time in 1911 on position #594. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Sylvan and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Sylvan? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Sylvan. The baby boy name Sylvan was given to 43 baby boys in 2025, ranking #1825 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 34,100 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Sylvan peaked in popularity 114 years ago in 1912 on position 590.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Sylvan, 1-5?

Sylvan is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Sylvan is currently topping the baby name charts in Pennsylvania at position #784 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #2,910.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Sylvan is where you live.

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Sylvan origin and meaning

Latin

From Latin silva, 'forest' — Sylvan means 'of the woods'

Sylvan comes from the Latin word for forest, kin to Silvanus, the Roman god of woods and fields. It was used modestly in the early 1900s, peaked in 1918, and vanished for long stretches. It is now rising again as nature names for boys come back into fashion.

Attested etymology

Sylvan is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

To see famous people named Sylvan, pop culture references for the name Sylvan and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Sylvan

We've found the following names that sound similar to Sylvan, sorted by popularity.

Sullivan / Selvin / Silvano / Silvino / Silviano /

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Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Sylvan

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Sylvan a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Sylvan?

2 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

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Pronunciation

SIL-vun · /ˈsɪlvən/

Around the world

• Sylvain (French) — The French form of the same Latin name
• Silvano (Italian) — The Italian form
• Silvano (Spanish) — The Spanish form

Spellings and nicknames

• Silvan — A one-l variant used in German and Slavic traditions
• Silas — A related forest-linked biblical name, but a separate name

Famous bearers

None yet — no bearer for this name is documented well enough for us to list, so we show none rather than pad the list.

Style

NatureClassicVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Parents choose Sylvan for a woodland name with Roman roots that feels both scholarly and wild. Long dormant since 1918, it is climbing again.

Worth knowing

• Many will know it first as an adjective ('sylvan glades') or from the Sylvan Learning tutoring brand
• Easily confused with Silas, Sullivan or Sylvia