Silvester
A male given name, variant of Sylvester.
Every Silvester since 1884 — 1,306 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Silvester
Silvester is not currently in use for newborns in the United States — fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.
Since 1884, 1,306 American babies have been named Silvester. Its peak came in 1960, when 32 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1960s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Silvester stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Silvester year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — |
| 2024 | — | — |
| 2023 | 6 | #12,042 |
| 2022 | — | — |
| 2021 | — | — |
| 2020 | — | — |
| 2019 | — | — |
| 2018 | — | — |
| 2017 | — | — |
| 2016 | — | — |
| 2015 | 6 | #11,881 |
| 2014 | — | — |
| 2013 | — | — |
| 2012 | — | — |
| 2011 | — | — |
| 2010 | 5 | #13,960 |
| 2009 | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — |
| 2007 | 9 | #8,815 |
| 2006 | 9 | #8,622 |
| 2005 | 6 | #11,266 |
| 2004 | 5 | #12,949 |
| 2003 | 8 | #8,511 |
| 2002 | 5 | #12,232 |
| 2001 | 6 | #10,368 |
| 2000 | 5 | #11,877 |
| 1995 | — | — |
| 1990 | 10 | #5,318 |
| 1985 | 14 | #3,366 |
| 1980 | 7 | #5,439 |
| 1975 | 9 | #3,907 |
| 1970 | 11 | #3,041 |
| 1965 | 14 | #2,256 |
| 1960 | 32 | #1,428 |
| 1955 | 22 | #1,674 |
| 1950 | 10 | #2,558 |
| 1945 | 17 | #1,686 |
| 1940 | 9 | #2,651 |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,379 |
| 1930 | 19 | #1,745 |
| 1925 | 24 | #1,575 |
| 1920 | 26 | #1,495 |
| 1915 | 14 | #2,049 |
| 1910 | 12 | #976 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 6 | #1,284 |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Famous people named Silvester
- Silvester Takač Soccer player · b. 1940
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Silvester mean?
A male given name, variant of Sylvester.
How popular is the name Silvester in 2025?
Silvester did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.
How many people are named Silvester?
1,306 babies have been named Silvester in the United States since 1884, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Silvester most popular?
Silvester peaked in 1960, when 32 newborns received the name.
Is Silvester a boy or girl name?
Silvester is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Silvester rising or falling?
Silvester has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Silvester?
Well-known people named Silvester include Silvester Takač (soccer player).