Holding steady.
Popularity of Sylvania since 1881
Babies named Sylvania per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1915, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Sylvania's real moment was 1881.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 23 |
| 1890s | 36 |
| 1900s | 46 |
| 1910s | 87 |
| 1920s | 96 |
| 1930s | 55 |
| 1940s | 31 |
| 1950s | 75 |
| 1960s | 50 |
| 1970s | 17 |
| 1980s | 30 |
| 1990s | 0 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Sylvania is a rare feminine name linked to the Latin word for forest, first recorded in 1881, which remains its peak year. The name has a stable trajectory, never achieving widespread popularity, and is not recorded in recent decades. It shares its origin with the masculine Sylvanus and the surname Sylvester, all rooted in Latin 'silva.' Though uncommon as a given name, it is familiar as a place name in the United States.
Sylvania is likely derived from the Latin word "silva" meaning "forest" or "woods," possibly as a feminine form of Sylvanus, the Roman god of forests. It may also have originated as a place name, notably in Ohio (Sylvania, Ohio) and as the name of a region in Poland (Silesia). The name gained some use in the late 19th century but has remained rare.
Nicknames & variants
Sibling names for Sylvania
Names that share Sylvania's style, for a brother or sister.
