Sylar
Sylar is a fictional character and a primary antagonist of the NBC superhero drama series Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a super-powered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers. He served as the primary villain of the first season and then as a recurring antagonist.
Meaning & Origin of Sylar
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sylar is a fictional character and a primary antagonist of the NBC superhero drama series Heroes. Portrayed by Zachary Quinto, he is a super-powered serial killer who targets other superhumans in order to steal their powers. He served as the primary villain of the first season and then as a recurring antagonist.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Sylar
As a girl name
American parents first put Sylar on the record books as a girl name in 2007, with 6 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2011, when 7 Sylars were born — ranking #13,346 that year. About 72% of every Sylar on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. Sylar last appeared in the published SSA data in 2023, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 57 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
American parents first put Sylar on the record books as a boy name in 2006, with 9 registered babies. Its peak popularity came in 2009, when 91 Sylars were born — ranking #1,708 that year. About 66% of every Sylar on record arrived during the 2010s, its defining decade. As of 2026, Sylar ranks #7,733 for boys with 7 births, falling sharply (-58%). All told, over 827 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2000s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Sylar
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sylar is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sylar
What does the name Sylar mean?
How popular is Sylar in 2026?
When was Sylar most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sylar most popular?
Is Sylar a unisex name?
What names go well with Sylar?
About the name Sylar
Sylar is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2006 and has accumulated 827 births in the dataset. Sylar's peak popularity came in 2009 when it ranked #1,708. Use the chart and map above to compare Sylar's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2009 →
- Names of the 2000s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.