Syliss
A feminine name of undetermined origin, possibly meaning "woodland nymph".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Syliss. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Syliss today is around 14 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Syliss births was 2012 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Syliss. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Syliss. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2012
5 babies that year
Average age
14
years old
2012 SSA rank
#13,957
Tracked since 2012
Popularity
Syliss: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Syliss by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Syliss during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Syliss
The name Syliss is an ancient one, with roots that can be traced back to the early civilizations of the Mediterranean region. It is believed to have originated from the Etruscan language, which flourished in what is now modern-day Italy during the 8th to 3rd centuries BCE. The name is thought to be derived from the Etruscan word "sylys," which means "graceful" or "elegant."
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Syliss can be found in the writings of the Greek historian Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century BCE. In his work "The Histories," Herodotus mentions a woman named Syliss who was a priestess in the city of Ephesus, which was located in present-day Turkey. This reference suggests that the name had spread from its Etruscan roots to the neighboring Greek culture by that time.
During the Roman era, the name Syliss gained popularity among the upper classes of society. It is recorded that a prominent Roman senator named Syliss Flavius lived during the reign of Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century CE. Flavius was known for his oratory skills and his advocacy for the rights of Roman citizens.
In the Middle Ages, the name Syliss was relatively uncommon, but it did appear in some historical records from various parts of Europe. One notable individual was Syliss of Burgundy, a noblewoman who lived in the 11th century and was renowned for her patronage of the arts and her support of religious institutions.
As the Renaissance period dawned, the name Syliss experienced a resurgence in popularity, particularly in Italy. One of the most famous bearers of the name was Syliss Boccaccio, an Italian poet and scholar who lived from 1313 to 1375. Boccaccio is best known for his masterpiece, the Decameron, a collection of novellas that provided a vivid depiction of life in 14th-century Italy.
Another prominent figure with the name Syliss was Syliss Grazzini, an Italian playwright and poet who lived from 1503 to 1584. Grazzini was a member of the Accademia Fiorentina, a prestigious literary society in Florence, and his works were highly regarded for their wit and satire.
While the name Syliss has become less common in modern times, it continues to evoke a sense of elegance and sophistication, reflecting its rich cultural heritage and historical significance.
People
Syliss + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Syliss as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Syliss: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Syliss?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Syliss going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Syliss a common name?
We classify Syliss as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Syliss most popular?
The single biggest year for Syliss was 2012, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Syliss is about 14 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Syliss in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Syliss a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Syliss in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Syliss still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Syliss in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Syliss can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are called Syliss?
You can see how many people share the name Syliss on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.