Sylvia
Meaning & Origin
Meaning: From the Forest; Woods
Background: The name Sylvia originates from the Latin word 'silva,' meaning 'forest' or 'woods.' In English, the name has been popularized through literary works, notably by Shakespeare's use of the name in his plays.
At a glance
Quick stats based on the history of this name.
Lifetime rank
#167
Total births
244,949
Most popular decade
1930s
(99,522 births)
10-year trend
↑ Rising (+130 ranks)
Years in Top 100
36
First recorded year
1880
Gender usage
0.4% male
99.6% female
Stats by gender
Male
- First year
- 1906
- First year births
- 5
- First year rank
- #1,253
- Peak year
- 1936
- Peak year births
- 24
- Peak rank
- #1,356
- Most recent year
- 1992
- Recent year births
- 5
- Recent rank
- #8,435
Female
- First year
- 1880
- First year births
- 81
- First year rank
- #161
- Peak year
- 1937
- Peak year births
- 4,371
- Peak rank
- #50
- Most recent year
- 2024
- Recent year births
- 863
- Recent rank
- #361
Births over time
Number of babies given this name each year.
Rank over time
Popularity rank by year (1 = most popular).