Sylvester: name meaning, origin & popularity
- Meaning
- “of the forest”
- Origin
- Latin
- Say it
- sil-VES-ter · 3 syllables
- Used for
- Boys
From Latin Silvester, from silva meaning 'wood, forest'. Saint Sylvester I and the variant Silvester are well-known historical forms.
How popular is Sylvester?
Babies named Sylvester in 202471
2024 rank#2,092 boys
Peak year1880
Total US babies since 188043,792
Sylvester is steady now but far below its 1880 peak.
Names like Sylvester
Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.
Sylvester questions
What does the name Sylvester mean?
Sylvester means "of the forest". It comes from Latin. From Latin Silvester, from silva meaning 'wood, forest'. Saint Sylvester I and the variant Silvester are well-known historical forms.
Is Sylvester a boy or girl name?
Sylvester is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).
How popular is Sylvester?
71 US babies were named Sylvester in 2024. Its peak year was 1880.
How do you pronounce Sylvester?
Sylvester is usually pronounced sil-VES-ter.
Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.