Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1915

Sylvanus

Meaning A male given name from Latin, variant of Silvanus Gender Boy Rank 2025 #13,658

A male given name from Latin, variant of Silvanus.

Rank 2025
#13,658
among boys · ↓2,871 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
5
named Sylvanus
How common
1 in 341,615
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1915
15 babies
All-time total
470
#8,183 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Sylvanus popularity over time

470 babies have been named Sylvanus since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.020.040.060.0818801900192019401960198020002020Peak 1894Boys

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Boys Per year Change Best rank
1880s 23 2 – #873
1890s 8 1 -65% #848
1900s 11 1 +38% #1,291
1910s 81 8 +636% #1,855
1920s 97 10 +20% #2,329
1930s 34 3 -65% #2,821
1940s 40 4 +18% #2,672
1950s 13 1 -67% #3,398
1960s 5 1 -62% #4,560
1970s 15 2 +200% #5,355
1980s 28 3 +87% #4,458
1990s 16 2 -43% #9,453
2000s 35 4 +119% #8,985
2010s 31 3 -11% #9,456
2020s (to 2025) 33 6 +77% #9,634

The story of Sylvanus

Sylvanus is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #13,658 in 2025 with 5 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 470 American babies have been named Sylvanus. Its peak came in 1915, when 15 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1910s.

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 Sylvanus stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Sylvanus?

The median living Sylvanus is about 25 years old; half are between 11 and 51. An estimated 200 people named Sylvanus are alive in the United States today.

median 25 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Sylvanus year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Boys Boys rank
2025 5 #13,658
2024 7 #10,787
2023 8 #9,634
2022 – –
2021 7 #10,657
2020 6 #11,852
2019 – –
2018 – –
2017 5 #14,005
2016 – –
2015 8 #9,456
2014 6 #11,930
2013 6 #11,969
2012 – –
2011 6 #12,083
2010 – –
2009 – –
2008 – –
2007 – –
2006 – –
2005 8 #8,985
2004 5 #12,978
2003 6 #10,702
2002 5 #12,261
2001 6 #10,385
2000 5 #11,903
1995 – –
1990 – –
1985 – –
1980 9 #4,458
1975 – –
1970 5 #5,355
1965 – –
1960 – –
1955 – –
1950 – –
1945 – –
1940 – –
1935 – –
1930 5 #4,487
1925 13 #2,421
1920 11 #2,743
1915 15 #1,958
1910 – –
1905 – –
1900 6 #1,291
1895 – –
1890 – –
1885 6 #927
1880 5 #1,044

Famous people named Sylvanus

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Sylvanus Olympio Sylvanus Olympio President of Togo from 1960 to 1963 1902–1963 · Contemporary
  2. 2 Sylvanus Morley Sylvanus Morley American archaeologist and epigrapher (1883–1948) 19th century

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Sylvanus, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Sylvanus?

The median living Sylvanus is about 25 years old. Half of all living Sylvanuss are between 11 and 51 years old.

How many people named Sylvanus are alive today?

An estimated 200 people named Sylvanus are alive in the United States, based on 470 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Sylvanus mean?

A male given name from Latin, variant of Silvanus.

How popular is the name Sylvanus in 2025?

Sylvanus ranked #13,658 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 5 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Sylvanus?

470 babies have been named Sylvanus in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Sylvanus most popular?

Sylvanus peaked in 1915, when 15 newborns received the name.

Is Sylvanus a boy or girl name?

Sylvanus is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Sylvanus rising or falling?

Sylvanus has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Sylvanus?

Well-known people named Sylvanus include Sylvanus Olympio (politician), Sylvanus Morley (archaeologist).

Names like Sylvanus

Names that sound and feel close to Sylvanus: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Sylvanus with similar names → More names starting with S →