Sylva

♀ Girl

Pronounced SIL-vah /ˈsɪl.və/Medium

Meaning: From the Latin silva (sylva), 'wood; forest.' The root behind Silvia/Sylvia ('of the forest'). A leafy, classical name, noted honestly.Low

In 30 seconds: A woodland name: Sylva is Latin for 'forest' (said 'SIL-vah'). Leafy and classical.

💕 Browse more names

Origin MediumLatin

MeaningFrom the Latin silva (sylva), 'wood; forest.' The root behind Silvia/Sylvia ('of the forest'). A leafy, classical name, noted honestly.

U.S. rank (2014)#18911 ↘ Falling

2014 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1919

Total births (all-time)≈ 883

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

Sylva is the Latin silva, 'wood; forest,' and the root of Silvia/Sylvia ('of the forest'). A leafy, classical name, noted honestly, it is rare in the U.S. (said 'SIL-vah').

It appears only rarely in U.S. data, next to Sylvia. Rare, leafy, and classical.

Did you know? Sylva comes straight from the Latin silva, 'wood; forest' — the root behind Sylvia ('of the forest') — a leafy, classical name (said 'SIL-vah').

Overall data confidence 50%

References — Sylva — Latin silva 'forest'; root of Sylvia

Variations

SilvaSylvieSilvana

Nicknames

SylVava

Famous Bearers

Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Sylva…

Sylvia— the name it roots

Silvana— a like 'forest' Latin name

Silvie— a like Syl- name

Flora— a like nature Latin pick

Explore names like Sylva

By themelatin nature classical

By meaningEarth / Nature Truth

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sylva mean?

Sylva is Latin (silva) for 'wood; forest' — the root behind Sylvia, 'of the forest.'

How do you pronounce Sylva?

It's said SIL-vah /ˈsɪl.və/ — 2 syllables, stress on the first.

Is Sylva a boy or girl name?

Sylva is a girl's name.

How popular is Sylva?

Sylva is a rare name in the U.S.