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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sylvester

Sylvester

♂ Boy

Pronounced sihl-VEHS-tuhr /sɪl.ˈvɛs.təɹ/Medium

Meaning: Wooded, wildMedium

In 30 seconds: Sylvester is an English name from Latin roots meaning 'wooded' or 'wild'.
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Origin MediumEnglish, Danish, German
MeaningWooded, wild
U.S. rank (2025)#2224 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births64 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1920
Total births (all-time)≈ 43,229

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192018802025

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

Sylvester traces to a Latin word for the woods, giving the meaning 'wooded' or 'wild'. It has a long Christian history, carried by several popes including Pope Sylvester III. Its variants spread across Europe, from the Italian Silvius to the French Sylvestre, and modern bearers include the Scottish actor Sylvester McCoy of Doctor Who.

The name's three flowing syllables give it an old-world, slightly theatrical air, and its variations show how widely it traveled across Latin-rooted languages.

Did you know? The meaning usually attached to Sylvester is 'wooded, wild', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.
Overall data confidence 78%
Behind the Name - Sylvester — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

SilvesterSilviusSilvijoSilvestrSylvestre

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

  • ★Pope Sylvester III (c. 1000–1063)
    Pope of the Catholic Church in 1045.
  • ★Sylvester McCoy (1943–present)
    Scottish actor, known for playing the Seventh Doctor in 'Doctor Who'.

If you like Sylvester…

Sawyer— lands in the same popularity range
Alder— a similarly popular pick
Slater— a fellow English choice
Winter— shares the -er ending
Elder— shares the -er ending

Explore names like Sylvester

By themeenglishnaturegerman

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Sylvester mean?

Sylvester is usually explained as meaning 'wooded, wild' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Sylvester?

It's commonly said sihl-VEHS-tuhr /sɪl.ˈvɛs.təɹ/.

Is Sylvester a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Sylvester is used as a boy name.

How popular is Sylvester?

In 2024, Sylvester ranked #2108 in the U.S. for boys, with 71 births recorded.

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