Sylvester
Sylvester was the 2224th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 64 babies. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked 127th; the most babies were born in 1920 (807). Over the last ten years it has moved down 225 places. More babies were named Sylvester in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Meaning "of the woods" · Latin
Say it sil-VES-ter /sɪlˈvɛstər/
- Rank in 2025
- #2,224 boys, up 273 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 64boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 1920807 babies
- Total since 1880
- 43,857babies recorded
What does the name Sylvester mean?
Sylvester is from the Latin silvestris, "of the woods, wild", from silva, "forest". It was the name of three popes, notably Pope Sylvester I, whose feast falls on December 31; New Year's Eve is still called Silvester in much of Europe. Wiktionary notes it has been used in English since the 16th century. In the US it was most common around 1900.
silvestris (Latin, “wooded, wild”)silva (Latin, “forest, woodland”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Silvester, Silvestre, Sly, Sylvia.
See also: Latin names, names that mean tree.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Sylvester', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'Sylvester', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Sylvester', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Nicknames for Sylvester
The usual nicknames for Sylvester are Sly, Syl and Vester.
| Nickname | Kind | Rank 2025 | Boys, 5 years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sly | Traditional | — | — |
| Syl · also for Sylvia | Traditional | — | — |
| Vester | Traditional | — | — |
Nicknames reviewed by our editors; counts are boys given the nickname as their legal first name. Nobody records how many Sylvesters go by each one.
Sylvester popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 627 since 1890.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,224 | 64 |
| 2020 | #2,497 | 52 |
| 2010 | #2,166 | 62 |
| 2000 | #1,398 | 90 |
| 1990 | #715 | 203 |
| 1980 | #615 | 204 |
| 1970 | #516 | 245 |
| 1960 | #347 | 504 |
| 1950 | #256 | 643 |
| 1940 | #258 | 460 |
| 1930 | #217 | 599 |
| 1920 | #174 | 807 |
| 1910 | #156 | 200 |
| 1900 | #160 | 131 |
| 1890 | #153 | 93 |
| 1880 | #153 | 89 |
How popular is Sylvester, counting every spelling?
Sylvester is the most common spelling of a name family that had 64 boys in 2025 across its spellings. Together these spellings went to 64 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sylvester | 64 | #2,224 | 341 |
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 Sylvester?
64 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Sylvester (0.02 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Sylvester 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 131 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Sylvester.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Sylvester?
About 17,000 people born in the US named Sylvester are alive today, with a median age of 63; half are between 43 and 73. That makes Sylvester a name most people associate with older generations.
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.
Sylvester by state
How common Sylvester was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 44 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 Sylvester: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Sylvester, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Sylvester · Sibling names for Sylvester
Questions about the name Sylvester
What does Sylvester mean?
Sylvester means “"of the woods"” (Latin origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Sylvester?
Sylvester was the 2224th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 64 babies. Its best year was 1889, when it ranked 127th; the most babies were born in 1920 (807). Over the last ten years it has moved down 225 places. More babies were named Sylvester in the 1920s than in any other decade.
Is Sylvester a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Sylvester in the US.
Where is Sylvester most popular?
In 2021–2025, Sylvester was most common in Missouri (0.07 per 1,000 boys), followed by California and Texas.