Sylvanus
Meaningof the woods · Latin
- US rank
- #12,008
- Syllables
- 3
- Peak
- #787 in 1894
5 babies were named Sylvanus in the US in 2025. It has dropped 1,403 places in five years.
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US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Sylvanus you might not know, from US birth records. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
- How commonAbout 1 in every 344,828 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Sylvanus, 5 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Sylvanus would very likely be the only one.
- HistorySylvanus has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Sylvanuss, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1894, when it ranked #787. Today it's #12,008, so it could be due a comeback.
- TrendSylvanus has slipped 1,403 places over the last five years and now sits at #12,008. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- MeaningIn Latin, Sylvanus means “of the woods”.
About the name Sylvanus
Sylvanus is a boy name of Latin origin meaning “of the woods”. It has 8 letters and 3 syllables, starting with S and ending in “-nus”. US birth records list Sylvanus for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 65 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1894, when it ranked #787 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #12,008, with 5 babies.
Origin:Latin names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 21 | 47,371 boys |
| 1890s | 6.9 | 144,718 boys |
| 1900s | 7.9 | 126,743 boys |
| 1910s | 11 | 89,928 boys |
| 1920s | 8.8 | 113,379 boys |
| 1930s | 3.2 | 309,598 boys |
| 1940s | 2.6 | 387,597 boys |
| 1950s | 0.6 | 1,587,302 boys |
| 1960s | 0.3 | 4,000,000 boys |
| 1970s | 0.9 | 1,098,901 boys |
| 1980s | 1.6 | 645,161 boys |
| 1990s | 0.8 | 1,234,568 boys |
| 2000s | 1.8 | 564,972 boys |
| 2010s | 1.6 | 609,756 boys |
| 2020s | 3.2 | 312,500 boys |
Other spellings of Sylvanus
More Latin boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Theodore · gift of God
- Boy name: Lucas · man from Lucania
- Unisex name: Elias · my God is Yahweh
- Unisex name: Luca · man from Lucania
- Boy name: Sebastian · venerable
- Boy name: Leo · lion
- Boy name: Alexander · defender of men
Questions about the name Sylvanus
What does the name Sylvanus mean?
Sylvanus means “of the woods” in Latin.
What is the origin of the name Sylvanus?
Sylvanus has Latin roots in our records. Other Latin names include Oliver, Theodore, Lucas.
Is Sylvanus a boy or girl name?
Sylvanus is a boy name.
How popular is the name Sylvanus?
Sylvanus ranked #12,008 for US boys in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1894 (#787).