Sylvan
Boy name · #1669 in 2025 · Rare
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. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sylvan against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sylvan in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sylvan is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sylvan will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sylvan is most common
State-level data for Sylvan is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
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. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
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.