Sylvia
Girl name · #300 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Sylvia? In official American birth records, Sylvia has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 1,017 baby girls were named Sylvia, placing it at #300 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #484, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 1,770 girls born in 2025 was named Sylvia.
The 145-year story
Sylvia first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 81 girls received the name. Its peak came in 1937, when 4,371 girls were named Sylvia — good for #50 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 Sylvia per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Sylvia against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Sylvia in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Sylvia is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Sylvia is most common
Geography matters for names, and Sylvia is no exception. Adjusted for how many girls are born in each state, Sylvia is most common in MN (2 per 1,000), WV (2 per 1,000), OR (1.7 per 1,000), WI (1.7 per 1,000), PA (1.6 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.8 per 1,000 girls. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Sylvia is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Sylvia
Statistically, parents drawn to Sylvia tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Gloria, Elaine, Virginia, Loretta, and Martha.
GloriaElaineVirginiaLorettaMarthaBonnieRamonaDiana
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Sylvia | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,017 | #300 |
| 2024 | 868 | #361 |
| 2023 | 724 | #427 |
| 2022 | 720 | #437 |
| 2021 | 673 | #465 |
| 2020 | 606 | #501 |
| 2019 | 616 | #510 |
| 2018 | 633 | #492 |
| 2017 | 647 | #482 |
| 2016 | 622 | #502 |
| 2015 | 662 | #484 |
| 2014 | 638 | #490 |
| 2013 | 594 | #507 |
| 2012 | 578 | #525 |
| 2011 | 531 | #550 |
| 2010 | 525 | #557 |
| 2009 | 555 | #548 |
| 2008 | 556 | #554 |
| 2007 | 588 | #532 |
| 2006 | 581 | #520 |
| 2005 | 547 | #528 |
| 2004 | 513 | #556 |
| 2003 | 504 | #550 |
| 2002 | 535 | #513 |
| 2001 | 519 | #517 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Sylvia?
In official American birth records, the name Sylvia first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 81 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Sylvia a popular girl name?
Sylvia ranked #300 among girls in 2025 with 1,017 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #484.
When was the name Sylvia most popular?
Sylvia peaked in 1937, when 4,371 American girls received the name (ranked #50 that year). Since 1937 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Sylvia?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 1,770 newborn American girls was named Sylvia. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.