Sylvan
Boy name · #1669 in 2025 · Uniqueness 39/100
In 2025, 99 baby boys were named Sylvan, placing it at #1669 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4080, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 18,182 boys born in 2025 was named Sylvan.
The 139-year story
Sylvan first appears in the Social Security records in 1886, when 7 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 103 boys were named Sylvan — good for #604 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Babies named Sylvan per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sylvan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sylvan in class?
Sylvan scores 39 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Sylvan is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sylvan is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Sylvans were CA (13), PA (11), NY (9), CO (5), TX (5). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Sylvan
Statistically, parents drawn to Sylvan tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Florian, Harlan, Meyer, Sol, and Casimir.
FlorianHarlanMeyerSolCasimirWarnerOswaldOrin
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sylvan | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 99 | #1668 |
| 2024 | 84 | #1891 |
| 2023 | 75 | #2014 |
| 2022 | 80 | #1938 |
| 2021 | 64 | #2193 |
| 2020 | 45 | #2728 |
| 2019 | 48 | #2656 |
| 2018 | 32 | #3446 |
| 2017 | 35 | #3249 |
| 2016 | 43 | #2783 |
| 2015 | 25 | #4080 |
| 2014 | 35 | #3154 |
| 2013 | 29 | #3582 |
| 2012 | 31 | #3450 |
| 2011 | 25 | #3994 |
| 2010 | 27 | #3812 |
| 2009 | 20 | #4748 |
| 2008 | 20 | #4714 |
| 2007 | 18 | #4996 |
| 2006 | 25 | #3888 |
| 2005 | 18 | #4631 |
| 2004 | 21 | #4129 |
| 2003 | 20 | #4114 |
| 2002 | 29 | #3095 |
| 2001 | 22 | #3721 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sylvan a popular boy name?
Sylvan ranked #1669 among boys in 2025 with 99 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4080.
When was the name Sylvan most popular?
Sylvan peaked in 1918, when 103 American boys received the name (ranked #604 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sylvan?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 18,182 newborn American boys was named Sylvan. It scores 39/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.