Sylvain
Meaningof the forest · French
- US rank
- #12,008
- Syllables
- 2
- Peak
- #2,611 in 1967
5 babies were named Sylvain in the US in 2025.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million boys, 1957–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Sylvain you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Sylvain
Sylvain Wiltord
French footballer (born 1974)
Choose Sylvain and your child shares a first name with Sylvain Wiltord, a French footballer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Sylvain, like who?” Sylvain Wiltord's Wikipedia article is available in 50 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Sylvain Wiltord on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Pymouss44, CC BY-SA 3.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 344,828 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Sylvain, 5 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Sylvain would very likely be the only one.
- HistorySylvain first shows up in US birth records in 1957, the first year at least 5 babies got it. It has been in use for 68 years since.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1967, when it ranked #2,611. Today it's #12,008, so it could be due a comeback.
- MeaningIn French, Sylvain means “of the forest”.
About the name Sylvain
Sylvain is a boy name of Italian origin meaning “of the forest”. It has 7 letters and 2 syllables, starting with S and ending in “-ain”. US birth records list Sylvain for boys from 1957 to 2025, in 16 of those 69 years. Its best year was 1967, when it ranked #2,611 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #12,008, with 5 babies.
Origin:Italian names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 0.8 | 1,304,348 boys |
| 1960s | 1.8 | 555,556 boys |
| 1970s | 1.2 | 862,069 boys |
| 1980s | 0.5 | 1,886,792 boys |
| 1990s | 0.8 | 1,298,701 boys |
| 2020s | 1.0 | 1,034,483 boys |
More Italian boy names
- Unisex name: Luca · man from Lucania
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Unisex name: Luka · man from Lucania
- Boy name: Leonardo · brave as a lion
- Boy name: Emiliano · rival, striving
- Boy name: Lorenzo · from Laurentum
- Unisex name: Giovanni · God is gracious
- Boy name: Matteo · gift of God
Questions about the name Sylvain
What does the name Sylvain mean?
Sylvain means “of the forest” in French.
What is the origin of the name Sylvain?
Sylvain has Italian roots in our records. Other Italian names include Luca, Leo, Luka.
Is Sylvain a boy or girl name?
Sylvain is a boy name.
How popular is the name Sylvain?
Sylvain ranked #12,008 for US boys in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1967 (#2,611).