Sylvester
Boy name · #2207 in 2025 · Very rare
In 2025, 64 baby boys were named Sylvester, placing it at #2207 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #1983, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 28,125 boys born in 2025 was named Sylvester.
The 145-year story
Sylvester first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 89 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1920, when 807 boys were named Sylvester — good for #174 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 Sylvester per year. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sylvester against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sylvester in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sylvester is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Sylvester will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Sylvester is most common
State-level data for Sylvester 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 Sylvester
Statistically, parents drawn to Sylvester tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Chester, Lester, Luther, Clarence, and Edmond.
ChesterLesterLutherClarenceEdmondHermanSalvatoreSidney
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sylvester | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 | #2207 |
| 2024 | 71 | #2098 |
| 2023 | 67 | #2147 |
| 2022 | 71 | #2094 |
| 2021 | 68 | #2109 |
| 2020 | 52 | #2467 |
| 2019 | 74 | #1974 |
| 2018 | 66 | #2122 |
| 2017 | 67 | #2065 |
| 2016 | 67 | #2086 |
| 2015 | 73 | #1983 |
| 2014 | 75 | #1920 |
| 2013 | 76 | #1866 |
| 2012 | 57 | #2270 |
| 2011 | 60 | #2173 |
| 2010 | 62 | #2144 |
| 2009 | 67 | #2050 |
| 2008 | 67 | #2062 |
| 2007 | 62 | #2164 |
| 2006 | 77 | #1790 |
| 2005 | 67 | #1889 |
| 2004 | 64 | #1911 |
| 2003 | 83 | #1538 |
| 2002 | 78 | #1571 |
| 2001 | 80 | #1514 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Sylvester a popular boy name?
Sylvester ranked #2207 among boys in 2025 with 64 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1983.
When was the name Sylvester most popular?
Sylvester peaked in 1920, when 807 American boys received the name (ranked #174 that year). Since 1920 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sylvester?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 28,125 newborn American boys was named Sylvester. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very 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.