How to say it
SYL · vi · a
/ˈsɪl.vi.ə/
Feminine
Sylvia
Of the forest
What it means
Latin for 'from the forest,' from silva, 'wood.' The full form behind the French Sylvie.
Sylvia is the Latin 'woodland' name, from silva, 'forest.' In Roman legend Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, which gave it ancient roots. It was a graceful staple for centuries and now reads vintage, carried in memory by the poet Sylvia Plath. The trimmer French Sylvie is its current cousin. Syl and Vivi serve as shorts.
Popularity over time
peaked at #50 in 1937, currently #300 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
- Spelling
Sylvia and Silvia are the Latin and Italian forms; Sylvie is the French.
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.
- Sylvia Plath American poet and author of The Bell Jar
- Rhea Silvia mother of Romulus and Remus in Roman myth
Spelling variants
- Silvia
- Sylvie
- Silvana
Names with the same feeling
See Sylvia from another angle
By meaning
By style