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Home › Baby Names Directory › Sylwia

Sylwia

♀ Girl

Pronounced SIL-vyah /ˈsɪl.vja/Low

Meaning: Sylwia is the Polish spelling of Sylvia, in which the w stands for a v-sound. The name comes from the Latin silva, 'forest,' and carries the sense 'of the woodland' - the same root behind the woodland spirit Silvanus of Roman myth.Medium

In 30 seconds: Sylwia is the Polish form of Sylvia, from Latin silva 'forest.' It appears in American records in the nineteen-eighties and nineties and is said SIL-vyah.
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Origin MediumPolish, Latin
MeaningSylwia is the Polish spelling of Sylvia, in which the w stands for a v-sound. The name comes from the Latin silva, 'forest,' and carries the sense 'of the woodland' - the same root behind the woodland spirit Silvanus of Roman myth.
U.S. rank (2005)#18851 ↘ Falling
2005 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1996
Total births (all-time)≈ 119

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 199619862005

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

Sylwia is the Polish form of Sylvia, from the Latin silva, 'forest.' It shares its root with Silvanus, the Roman god of woods and fields, and remains a common name in Poland.

In the United States it has stayed rare, given to about fifteen girls a year at its peak in the mid-nineteen-nineties, borne chiefly by Polish American families. A girl named Sylwia then is in her thirties today.

Did you know? In Polish the letter w is pronounced like an English v, so Sylwia sounds essentially like Sylvia - a spelling clue to its Central European roots.
Overall data confidence 50%
References - Sylwia — Polish form of Sylvia; Latin silva 'forest'; w=v; Polish American; note SIL-vyah; plain-Latin only.

Variations

SylviaSilviaSylwjaSylvie

Nicknames

SylSylwka

Famous Bearers

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If you like Sylwia…

Sylvia— the standard English form of the same name
Silvia— the Latin and Italian spelling
Sylvie— the French short form
Sylvana— a related 'of the forest' name

Explore names like Sylwia

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Sylwia mean?

It is the Polish form of Sylvia, from the Latin silva, 'forest,' meaning 'of the woodland.'

How do you pronounce Sylwia?

It is said SIL-vyah /ˈsɪl.vja/ - two syllables, stress on the first; in Polish the w sounds like v.

Is Sylwia a boy or girl name?

Sylwia is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Sylwia?

It has always been rare in the United States, given to about fifteen girls a year even at its peak in the mid-nineteen-nineties.

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