How to say it
SI · las
/ˈsaɪ.ləs/
Masculine
Silas
Of the forest, or short for Silvanus
What it means
Greek Silas, possibly a contraction of Latin Silvanus ('of the forest'), or possibly from the Aramaic Sheila ('asked of God'). The apostle Paul's traveling companion in the Book of Acts.
Silas appears in the New Testament's Book of Acts as Paul's traveling companion on his second missionary journey, including the famous jailbreak at Philippi. The name's exact root is debated: it may be a Greek short of the Latin Silvanus ('of the forest, woodland god'), or a Greek rendering of the Aramaic Sheila ('asked of God'). George Eliot's 1861 novel Silas Marner gave the name literary anchor. It crashed in the 20th century and is back in the US top 100 as part of the biblical-revival wave alongside Asher and Ezra. Si is the rare short; most Silases stay full.
Popularity over time
peaked at #71 in 2025, currently #71 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–present. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Pop culture
George Eliot's Silas Marner (1861) is the literary anchor; some parents read it in school and the association sticks.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- Silas (Bible) Companion of Paul on the second missionary journey, jailbreak at Philippi
- Silas Marner Title character of George Eliot's 1861 novel
Spelling variants
- Silvanus
- Silvio
Names with the same feeling
See Silas from another angle
By meaning
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