Is Silas a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Silas is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Silas?

It’s currently ranked #80 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Silas Boy

Popularity: #80 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Origin(s)

Latin; Greek; Hebrew

Meaning

Latin: 'man of the forest'; Greek: 'the one who is saved'; Hebrew: 'peace'

Historical & Cultural Background

Silas is a name of Latin origin, derived from the word 'silva', meaning forest. In the New Testament, Silas is mentioned as a companion of the Apostle Paul, which contributed to its popularity among early Christians. The name has been used in various cultures and has seen a resurgence in modern times, particularly in English-speaking countries.

Trend Summary

Silas has experienced a steady increase in popularity in the United States over the past two decades.

Variants

Sil
Silo

International Variants

Silvano (Italian)
Silas (Spanish)
Sila (Finnish)

Famous people named Silas

Silas Marner: A fictional character in George Eliot's novel, known for his transformation from a miser to a loving father.

Silas Weir Mitchell: An American physician and author known for his contributions to medicine and literature.

Silas Wright: A prominent American politician in the 19th century, known for his role in New York state politics.

Silas Stone: A character in the DC Comics universe, known for being a scientist and father of Cyborg.

Fictional characters named Silas

Silas: A character in the book 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown, serving as an antagonist.

Silas: A character in the TV series 'The Vampire Diaries', known for his role as a powerful witch.

Sibling Suggestions

Simon Seth Samuel Silvan Sabrina Sophie

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Silas was first seen in the United States in 1880. Silas has ranked as high as #130 nationally which occurred in 2024 and has been most popular in Texas, California, Florida, North Carolina, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name Silas has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Silas (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	356	9%
CA	271	7%
FL	208	5%
NC	206	5%
OH	201	5%
PA	186	5%
TN	154	4%
VA	135	3%
NY	130	3%
IL	121	3%
MI	120	3%
KY	119	3%
WA	118	3%
GA	118	3%
IN	113	3%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	98
1881	73
1882	92
1883	77
1884	83
1885	73
1886	77
1887	64
1888	71
1889	67
1890	84
1891	58
1892	89
1893	57
1894	56
1895	68
1896	63
1897	53
1898	48
1899	55
1900	68
1901	37
1902	55
1903	47
1904	51
1905	43
1906	53
1907	45
1908	48
1909	62
1910	64
1911	59
1912	108
1913	126
1914	173
1915	197
1916	190
1917	205
1918	229
1919	202
1920	218
1921	224
1922	213
1923	206
1924	213
1925	219
1926	211
1927	183
1928	167
1929	177
1930	191
1931	169
1932	154
1933	143
1934	142
1935	143
1936	145
1937	109
1938	146
1939	140
1940	120
1941	118
1942	145
1943	137
1944	118
1945	112
1946	142
1947	132
1948	113
1949	139
1950	120
1951	94
1952	101
1953	113
1954	115
1955	90
1956	101
1957	116
1958	104
1959	96
1960	79
1961	87
1962	78
1963	97
1964	70
1965	90
1966	72
1967	52
1968	62
1969	66
1970	69
1971	73
1972	74
1973	94
1974	83
1975	111
1976	100
1977	93
1978	113
1979	112
1980	116
1981	133
1982	114
1983	123
1984	103
1985	116
1986	115
1987	121
1988	116
1989	118
1990	118
1991	133
1992	165
1993	155
1994	153
1995	204
1996	207
1997	230
1998	251
1999	290
2000	328
2001	376
2002	580
2003	562
2004	611
2005	660
2006	800
2007	940
2008	1,074
2009	1,377
2010	1,632
2011	2,117
2012	2,497
2013	3,412
2014	2,934
2015	3,191
2016	3,416
2017	3,338
2018	3,516
2019	3,564
2020	3,642
2021	3,912
2022	4,025
2023	4,097
2024	4,108