Sylvan

Meaning: Of the forest
Origin: Latin — Variant of Sylvain, the French form of Silvanus

Boy's name · #1674 in the US (2025) · Vintage

Popularity over time

Sylvan belongs to an older America first — it reached #555 back in 1912 — yet it still appears in today's records at #1674. About 3,700 boys have carried it since 1886.

Across the states

See where Sylvan is more common.

Appears in 2020-2025 birth records of 4 states. See the full state-by-state map on this page.

Around the world

See how Sylvan ranks in other countries and regions.

#2,269 in Canada (2025) · #2,952 in England & Wales (2025) · #728 in Scotland (2023) · #1,043 in Netherlands (2018) · #3,186 in Austria (2014) · #5,955 in France (2010).

Famous Sylvans

Sylvan Ebanks-Blake — British footballer (born 1986)
Sylvan Adams — Canadian-Israeli business person (born 1958)
Sylvan Goldman — American businessman and inventor (1898–1984)
Sylvan Richardson — British guitarist, composer, and masseur (born 1965)
Sylvan Muldoon — American writer (1903–1969)

What Sylvans become

Among 34 notable people named Sylvan:

Artists & writers appear 1.88× more often than among typical names — e.g. Sylvan Muldoon, American writer (1903–1969).

Similar names: Cosmo · Zealand · June · Orson · Palmer · Noble

Browse more boy names — popularity, trends and eras for 5,700+ American names, free.

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