Silas

♀ Girl

Pronounced SY-lus /ˈsaɪ.ləs/High

Meaning: From Latin Silvanus/Greek, 'of the forest; the woods'; a biblical companion of Paul; overwhelmingly a boys' name; here used for girls; we flag the strong male associationLow

In 30 seconds: Of the forest; the woods: Silas is Latin/Greek. Strongly male — here for girls (said 'SY-lus').

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Origin LowLatin, Greek

MeaningFrom Latin Silvanus/Greek, 'of the forest; the woods'; a biblical companion of Paul; overwhelmingly a boys' name; here used for girls; we flag the strong male association

U.S. rank (2024)#7188 ↘ Falling

2024 U.S. births16 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year2022

Total births (all-time)≈ 177

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Silas comes from Latin Silvanus/Greek, 'of the forest; the woods' — borne in the Bible by a companion of the apostle Paul. It is overwhelmingly a boys' name; where it appears for a girl it is rare, and we flag the strong male association honestly (slug distinguished; said 'SY-lus').

In the U.S. Silas is a popular boys' name and very rare for girls. Rare for girls, of-the-forest at the root, and classic.

Did you know? Silas means 'of the forest; the woods' (from Latin Silvanus) — a biblical companion of Paul — overwhelmingly a boys' name; we flag the strong male association where it appears for a girl (said 'SY-lus').

Overall data confidence 32%

References — Silas — strongly male; flagged

Variations

SilvanusSylas

Nicknames

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Silas…

Silvana— a feminine forest-rooted girls' name

Sylvie— a fellow forest-rooted girls' name

Sylvia— a companion 'of the forest' girls' name

Willow— a sound-neighbor nature girls' name

Explore names like Silas

By themeuncertain latin greek unisex

By meaningStrength Earth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Silas mean?

Silas is Latin/Greek for 'of the forest; the woods'. It is overwhelmingly a boys' name.

How do you pronounce Silas?

It's said SY-lus /ˈsaɪ.ləs/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Silas a boy or girl name?

Silas is overwhelmingly a boys' name; this page covers its rare use as a girl's name, which we flag.

How popular is Silas?

Silas is very rare for girls in the U.S.