Syvester
One from the forest or woodland.
Name Census estimates that about 4 living Americans carry the first name Syvester. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Syvester today is around 68 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Syvester births was 1961 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Syvester. 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
- • The typical person named Syvester is about 68 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Syvesters were born before 1968.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Syvester. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
4
~ 1 in 85,688,585 Americans
Peak year
1961
5 babies that year
Average age
68
years old
1961 SSA rank
#4,591
Tracked since 1961
Popularity
Syvester: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Syvester 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 Syvester during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Syvester
The name Syvester is derived from the Latin word "silva", meaning forest or woods. Its origins can be traced back to ancient Rome, where it was used as a surname or cognomen for those who lived or worked in forested areas.
The earliest recorded use of the name Syvester dates back to the 4th century AD, when it was borne by Saint Sylvester I, who served as the Pope from 314 to 335 AD. He is known for his role in the Christianization of the Roman Empire under the reign of Constantine the Great.
Another notable figure in history with the name Syvester was Sylvester II, born Gerbert of Aurillac in 946 AD. He was a French scholar, mathematician, and theologian who became the Pope in 999 AD. Sylvester II is credited with introducing Arabic numerals and the concept of zero to Europe.
In the 16th century, Sylvester Stallone, an Italian Renaissance scholar and humanist, was born in 1515. He was a renowned philologist and translator of ancient Greek and Latin texts.
During the 17th century, Sylvester Brounower, a Dutch mathematician and astronomer, lived from 1591 to 1667. He made significant contributions to the development of calculus and is known for his work on the mathematical concept of continued fractions.
Another notable individual with the name Syvester was Sylvester Graham, an American Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer who lived from 1794 to 1851. He is best known for his advocacy of a vegetarian diet and the development of the Graham cracker, which was originally intended as a health food.
Throughout history, the name Syvester has been associated with individuals from various fields, including religion, academia, mathematics, and literature. Its connection to the natural world and the concept of forests or woods has added a unique symbolism to this name.
People
Syvester + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Syvester 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
Syvester: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Syvester?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 4 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Syvester 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 85,688,585 US residents.
Is Syvester a common name?
We classify Syvester as "Very Rare". It ranks above 6.2% 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 Syvester most popular?
The single biggest year for Syvester was 1961, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Syvester is about 68 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 Syvester in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Syvester a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Syvester 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 Syvester still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Syvester 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 Syvester 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 common is the name Syvester?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans are named Syvester on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.