Sylvan
Sylvan is a masculine given name and a surname which may refer to:
Meaning & Origin of Sylvan
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Sylvan is a masculine given name and a surname which may refer to:
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Sylvan
Sylvan first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1886, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1918, when 103 Sylvans were born — ranking #604 that year. As of 2026, Sylvan ranks #1,781 for baby boys with 93 births, rising sharply (+88% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Sylvans have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Sylvan
Phonetically similar names — useful when Sylvan 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 Sylvan
What does the name Sylvan mean?
How popular is Sylvan in 2026?
When was Sylvan most popular?
In which U.S. states is Sylvan most popular?
Is Sylvan a unisex name?
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About the name Sylvan
Sylvan is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1886 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. Sylvan's peak popularity came in 1918 when it ranked #552. Use the chart and map above to compare Sylvan's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 1918 →
- Names of the 1910s →
- Names starting with "S" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
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.