Sylvan
Sylvan was the 1674th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 99 babies. Its best year was 1912, when it ranked 555th; the most babies were born in 1918 (103). Over the last ten years it has moved up 2,486 places. More babies were named Sylvan in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning Not yet researched how we research meanings
- Rank in 2025
- #1,674 boys, up 1,077 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 99boys
- Girls and boys
- 12% girls, 88% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1918103 babies
- Total since 1880
- 3,813babies recorded
Sylvan popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,811 | #1,674 | 12 | 99 |
| 2020 | #13,325 | #2,751 | 7 | 45 |
| 2010 | — | #3,887 | — | 27 |
| 2000 | #14,806 | #3,745 | 6 | 22 |
| 1990 | — | #3,942 | — | 15 |
| 1980 | — | #3,232 | — | 14 |
| 1970 | — | #5,354 | — | 5 |
| 1960 | — | #1,966 | — | 18 |
| 1950 | — | #1,496 | — | 25 |
| 1940 | — | #1,206 | — | 32 |
| 1930 | — | #1,004 | — | 47 |
| 1920 | — | #814 | — | 68 |
| 1910 | — | #1,035 | — | 11 |
| 1900 | — | #780 | — | 12 |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Sylvan, counting every spelling?
Sylvan is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #1,441 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #1,674 for Sylvan on its own. Together these spellings went to 114 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvan | 99 | #1,674 | 402 |
| Silvan | 10 | #8,157 | 37 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Sylvan?
99 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Sylvan (0.03 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Sylvan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 85 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Sylvan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Sylvan?
About 1,700 people born in the US named Sylvan are alive today, with a median age of 20; half are between 6 and 51. That makes Sylvan mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Sylvan by state
How common Sylvan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Pennsylvania (4.2×). In 42 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Sylvan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Sylvan, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Sylvan
How popular is the name Sylvan?
Sylvan was the 1674th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 99 babies. Its best year was 1912, when it ranked 555th; the most babies were born in 1918 (103). Over the last ten years it has moved up 2,486 places. More babies were named Sylvan in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Sylvan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 12% girls, 88% boys given the name Sylvan in the US.
Where is Sylvan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Sylvan was most common in Pennsylvania (0.20 per 1,000 boys), followed by Oregon and New York.