Sylvester
Borrowed from Latin sylvester (“woody, rural”) from silva (“wood”); name of a saint whose feast day falls on December 31.
Every Sylvester since 1880 — 43,857 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Sylvester
Sylvester is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,224 in 2025 with 64 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 43,857 American babies have been named Sylvester. Its peak came in 1920, when 819 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Sylvester stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Sylvester year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 64 | #2,224 |
| 2024 | — | — | 71 | #2,114 |
| 2023 | — | — | 67 | #2,172 |
| 2022 | — | — | 71 | #2,114 |
| 2021 | — | — | 68 | #2,128 |
| 2020 | — | — | 52 | #2,497 |
| 2019 | — | — | 74 | #1,998 |
| 2018 | — | — | 66 | #2,139 |
| 2017 | — | — | 67 | #2,087 |
| 2016 | — | — | 67 | #2,108 |
| 2015 | — | — | 73 | #1,999 |
| 2014 | — | — | 75 | #1,941 |
| 2013 | — | — | 76 | #1,876 |
| 2012 | — | — | 57 | #2,290 |
| 2011 | — | — | 60 | #2,198 |
| 2010 | — | — | 62 | #2,166 |
| 2009 | — | — | 67 | #2,072 |
| 2008 | — | — | 67 | #2,085 |
| 2007 | — | — | 62 | #2,182 |
| 2006 | — | — | 77 | #1,806 |
| 2005 | — | — | 67 | #1,914 |
| 2004 | — | — | 64 | #1,931 |
| 2003 | — | — | 83 | #1,544 |
| 2002 | — | — | 78 | #1,585 |
| 2001 | — | — | 80 | #1,525 |
| 2000 | — | — | 90 | #1,398 |
| 1995 | — | — | 121 | #1,013 |
| 1990 | — | — | 203 | #715 |
| 1985 | — | — | 194 | #633 |
| 1980 | — | — | 204 | #615 |
| 1975 | — | — | 218 | #546 |
| 1970 | 7 | #6,976 | 245 | #516 |
| 1965 | — | — | 388 | #398 |
| 1960 | 5 | #7,191 | 504 | #347 |
| 1955 | 10 | #4,029 | 644 | #283 |
| 1950 | 12 | #3,214 | 643 | #256 |
| 1945 | 6 | #4,499 | 508 | #258 |
| 1940 | 7 | #3,828 | 460 | #258 |
| 1935 | 11 | #2,716 | 529 | #224 |
| 1930 | 14 | #2,409 | 599 | #217 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,758 | 691 | #204 |
| 1920 | 12 | #2,875 | 807 | #174 |
| 1915 | 9 | #3,109 | 706 | #163 |
| 1910 | 10 | #1,617 | 200 | #156 |
| 1905 | — | — | 126 | #162 |
| 1900 | 7 | #1,710 | 131 | #160 |
| 1895 | — | — | 99 | #158 |
| 1890 | 6 | #1,324 | 93 | #153 |
| 1885 | — | — | 82 | #164 |
| 1880 | — | — | 89 | #153 |
Famous people named Sylvester
- Sylvester Stallone Actor · b. 1946
- Sylvester Stadler Military personnel · 1910–1995
- Sylvester McCoy Actor · b. 1943
- Sylvester Levay Musician · b. 1945
- Sylvester Singer · 1947–1988
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Sylvester mean?
Borrowed from Latin sylvester (“woody, rural”) from silva (“wood”); name of a saint whose feast day falls on December 31.
How popular is the name Sylvester in 2025?
Sylvester ranked #2,224 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 64 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Sylvester?
43,857 babies have been named Sylvester in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Sylvester most popular?
Sylvester peaked in 1920, when 819 newborns received the name.
Is Sylvester a boy or girl name?
Sylvester is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Sylvester rising or falling?
Sylvester has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Sylvester?
Well-known people named Sylvester include Sylvester Stallone (actor), Sylvester Stadler (military personnel), Sylvester McCoy (actor).