Sylvanus
A male given name from Latin, variant of Silvanus.
Every Sylvanus since 1880 — 470 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Sylvanus Olympio Politician · 1902–1963
- Sylvanus Morley Archaeologist · 1883–1948
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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).