Sylvester
Derived from Latin silva meaning "forest", a masculine name.
Name Census estimates that about 19,194 living Americans carry the first name Sylvester. It is a predominantly male name (98.6% of registrations). The average person named Sylvester today is around 60 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Sylvester births was 1920 (819 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Sylvester. 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
- • Although Sylvester is used almost entirely for boys, the SSA data does show 627 girls registered with the name since 1880.
People living today
19K
~ 1 in 17,857 Americans
Peak year
1920
819 babies that year
Average age
60
years old
2024 SSA rank
#2,108
Tracked since 1880
Gender
Gender distribution for Sylvester
Sylvester leans heavily male at 98.6% of total registrations, but 627 girls have also been registered with the name over the years, giving it a small but present crossover presence.
Sylvester as a male name
- Ranked #2,108 in 2024
- 71 male births in 2024
- Peak: 1920 (807 births)
Sylvester as a female name
- Ranked #10,241 in 1981
- 6 female births in 1981
- Peak: 1926 (27 births)
Popularity
Sylvester: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Sylvester from the 1880s through to the 2020s, spanning 15 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 7,028 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Sylvester 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 Sylvester during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Sylvesters live
The SSA's state-level files cover 40 states and territories. Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama recorded the most babies named Sylvester, while Washington, New Mexico, Colorado recorded the fewest. The average across all reporting states is about 901 registrations each.
Origin
Meaning and history of Sylvester
The name Sylvester is derived from the Latin word "silva" meaning "forest" and the suffix "-ester" which implies a connection or belonging to something. It was initially used as a surname to refer to someone who lived in or near a forest.
The name's origins can be traced back to ancient Rome. It was first recorded in the 3rd century AD, when it was used as a surname by a Christian family named the Silvestri. The first notable person to bear the name Sylvester was Pope Sylvester I, who reigned from 314 to 335 AD. He is remembered for consolidating the structure of the Catholic Church and establishing the primacy of the Roman See.
In the Middle Ages, the name Sylvester became popular in Europe, particularly in Italy, France, and Germany. During this period, it was often associated with the tradition of the "Holy Roman Emperor," as several emperors were named Sylvester.
One of the most famous bearers of the name was Sylvester II, born Gerbert of Aurillac in 946 AD. He was a renowned scholar, mathematician, and the first French Pope. Sylvester II is credited with introducing the use of Arabic numerals and the abacus to Europe, significantly advancing mathematics and education in the region.
Another notable figure was Sylvester Gozzolini, an Italian nobleman who lived from 1177 to 1267 AD. He founded the Sylvestrines, a Catholic religious order known for their austere way of life and dedication to poverty.
During the Renaissance, the name Sylvester gained popularity among artists and intellectuals. One of the most famous was Sylvester Calzolari, an Italian physician and naturalist who lived from 1456 to 1523 AD. He was renowned for his extensive collection of natural specimens and contributions to the study of botany and zoology.
In the 17th century, Sylvester Brouncker, an English mathematician and the first President of the Royal Society, made significant contributions to the development of calculus and the study of infinite series.
Throughout history, the name Sylvester has been associated with individuals from various fields, including religion, science, art, and literature. Its connection to the natural world and intellectual pursuits has made it a enduring and prestigious name across different cultures and time periods.
Notable bearers
Famous people named Sylvester
People
Sylvester + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Sylvester 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
Sylvester: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Sylvester?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 19,194 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Sylvester 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 17,857 US residents.
Is Sylvester a common name?
We classify Sylvester as "Uncommon". It ranks above 98.4% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 43,792 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Sylvester most popular?
The single biggest year for Sylvester was 1920, when 819 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Sylvester is about 60 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Sylvester a male name?
Yes, 98.6% of people registered as Sylvester 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.
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.