Sylvan
Sylvan is a masculine given name and a surname which may refer to:
- English
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 →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
The Story of Sylvan
American parents first put Sylvan on the record books as a baby boy name in 1886, with 7 registered babies. 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). All told, over 4K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to 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?
What is the origin of the name Sylvan?
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?
What names go well with Sylvan?
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.