Sylvia

Sylvia - A very unique female name

Sylvia appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #92. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Sylvia and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Sylvia? 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 Sylvia. The baby girl name Sylvia was given to 985 baby girls in 2025, ranking #301 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,323 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Sylvia peaked in popularity 89 years ago in 1937 on position 50.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Sylvia, 1-5?

Sylvia is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Sylvia is currently topping the baby name charts in Minnesota at position #124 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #711.

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 Sylvia is where you live.

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Sylvia origin and meaning

Latin, feminine of Silvius

'Of the forest' — from Latin silva, 'wood, forest'

Sylvia is the feminine form of Silvius, from Latin silva, wood or forest; Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus in Roman legend. It was a Victorian and early-20th-century favourite, peaking in the US in 1937. After decades out of fashion it is reviving, up from #501 in 2020 to #301.

Attested etymology

Sylvia is a 6 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Sylvia

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

Shelby / Silvia / Sylvie / Shelbi / Shelbie / Shelba / Shelva / Shelbey / Shelvia / Silva /

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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 Sylvia

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 Sylvia 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 female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Sylvia?

3 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-vee-uh · /ˈsɪlviə/

Around the world

• Silvia (Italian) — Italian and Spanish spelling
• Sylvie (French) — French form
• Sylwia (Polish) — Polish spelling

Spellings and nicknames

• Silvia — Continental spelling

Nicknames: Sylvie

Famous bearers

• Sylvia Plath — Poet and novelist (1932–1963) Historical
• Sylvia Earle — Marine biologist and oceanographer (b. 1935) Contemporary

Style

ClassicNatureVintage revival

Why parents choose it

Sylvia is a true vintage revival pick — literary, silvery and forest-rooted, returning without yet feeling common.

Worth knowing

• The Silvia/Sylvia spelling split is constant across languages.