Silver Unisex
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: SIL-ver //ˈsɪlvər//
Origin: English; Latin
Meaning: English: precious metal; Latin: silver
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Silver has its roots in the Old English word "seolfor," which means "silver," referring to the precious metal known for its value and beauty. This term is derived from Proto-Germanic *silubrą, which is also linked to the Latin "argentum" and the Greek "argyros," both of which denote silver.
The transition of the name into English can be traced through these linguistic evolutions, where the Old English term eventually influenced the modern English word "silver." As a name, Silver embodies the qualities associated with the metal, such as purity, clarity, and wealth. Historically, silver has held significant cultural and economic importance across various civilizations.
In ancient times, it was often used as currency and in trade, symbolizing wealth and status. The use of silver in jewelry and adornments can be traced back to ancient Egypt, where it was highly valued.
The biblical references to silver, such as in the story of Judas Iscariot betraying Jesus for thirty pieces of silver, further cement its symbolic weight in Western culture. The name Silver, while not commonly used as a personal name in historical texts, reflects these broader cultural associations with the metal.
Culturally, silver has been associated with the moon and femininity in various traditions, often symbolizing intuition and emotional depth. In literature and folklore, silver is frequently depicted as a magical or protective element, enhancing its allure as a name.
The name Silver can also be seen as a diminutive or variant of names like Silvana or Silvia, which have their own rich histories tied to nature and the forest. Overall, the name Silver carries with it a legacy of beauty, value, and cultural significance that has endured through the ages.
Famous people named Silver
In this section, you will find notable people named Silver. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Silver who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Silver who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.
Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.
Silver Surfer is a comic book character best known for Marvel Comics, The Infinity Gauntlet, and Fantastic Four.
Fictional characters named Silver
The following list of fictional characters named Silver is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.
You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.
Silver is a fictional character from the video game series Sonic the Hedgehog. He is a telekinetic hedgehog who travels back in time to prevent a disastrous future.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Silver, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Silver. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Silver was first seen in the United States in 1896.
Silver has ranked as high as #4285 nationally, which occurred in 2023, and has been most popular in California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and New York.
In the past 5 years the name Silver has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Silver is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Silver was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Silver.
| Year | Total Births | Boy | Girl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 | 19 | 46 |
| 2024 | 70 | 23 | 47 |
| 2023 | 75 | 20 | 55 |
| 2022 | 59 | 18 | 41 |
| 2021 | 65 | 18 | 47 |
| 2020 | 56 | 19 | 37 |
| 2019 | 62 | 11 | 51 |
| 2018 | 51 | 14 | 37 |
| 2017 | 58 | 13 | 45 |
| 2016 | 63 | 12 | 51 |
| 2015 | 50 | 9 | 41 |
| 2014 | 52 | 16 | 36 |
| 2013 | 52 | 17 | 35 |
| 2012 | 47 | 6 | 41 |
| 2011 | 41 | 9 | 32 |
| 2010 | 51 | 6 | 45 |
| 2009 | 34 | 0 | 34 |
| 2008 | 27 | 8 | 19 |
| 2007 | 19 | 9 | 10 |
| 2006 | 28 | 13 | 15 |
| 2005 | 24 | 8 | 16 |
| 2004 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 2003 | 26 | 12 | 14 |
| 2002 | 37 | 11 | 26 |
| 2001 | 31 | 13 | 18 |
| 2000 | 27 | 9 | 18 |
| 1999 | 25 | 6 | 19 |
| 1998 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| 1997 | 47 | 9 | 38 |
| 1996 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1995 | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| 1994 | 26 | 6 | 20 |
| 1993 | 28 | 7 | 21 |
| 1992 | 27 | 6 | 21 |
| 1991 | 33 | 5 | 28 |
| 1990 | 28 | 0 | 28 |
| 1989 | 37 | 5 | 32 |
| 1988 | 36 | 0 | 36 |
| 1987 | 25 | 6 | 19 |
| 1986 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1985 | 25 | 0 | 25 |
| 1984 | 41 | 0 | 41 |
| 1983 | 41 | 0 | 41 |
| 1982 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 1981 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1980 | 20 | 7 | 13 |
| 1979 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1978 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1977 | 14 | 6 | 8 |
| 1975 | 13 | 6 | 7 |
| 1974 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1973 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1972 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1970 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1969 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1968 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1967 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1966 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1965 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1964 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1962 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1960 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1959 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1958 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1957 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1956 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1955 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1954 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1953 | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| 1952 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1950 | 11 | 5 | 6 |
| 1949 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1948 | 15 | 6 | 9 |
| 1947 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1945 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1944 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| 1943 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1942 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1941 | 15 | 5 | 10 |
| 1940 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1939 | 17 | 5 | 12 |
| 1938 | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| 1937 | 16 | 5 | 11 |
| 1936 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1935 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1934 | 13 | 8 | 5 |
| 1933 | 10 | 5 | 5 |
| 1932 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1931 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1930 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1928 | 9 | 0 | 9 |
| 1927 | 7 | 0 | 7 |
| 1926 | 14 | 9 | 5 |
| 1925 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 1924 | 13 | 7 | 6 |
| 1923 | 12 | 6 | 6 |
| 1921 | 19 | 11 | 8 |
| 1920 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1919 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 1918 | 8 | 0 | 8 |
| 1917 | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| 1915 | 16 | 8 | 8 |
| 1913 | 7 | 7 | 0 |
| 1911 | 5 | 5 | 0 |
| 1896 | 10 | 10 | 0 |
Top States for Silver (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 9 | |
| TX | 7 |