Is Sylvester a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Sylvester is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Sylvester?

It’s currently ranked #853 in the U.S. Recent trend: Falling.

How do you pronounce Sylvester?

sil-VES-ter · IPA: //sɪlˈvɛstər//

Sylvester Boy

Popularity: #853 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Origin(s)

Pronunciationsil-VES-ter / /sɪlˈvɛstər/

Latin; English

Meaning

Latin: 'wooded' or 'of the forest'; English: 'sylvan'

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Sylvester is derived from the Latin word 'silva', meaning 'forest'. It has been used since the early Christian era, notably by Pope Sylvester I in the 4th century. The name gained popularity in the English-speaking world during the 19th century. It is often associated with nature and the outdoors due to its meaning.

Trend Summary

Sylvester has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, with a notable decline since the mid-20th century.

Similar Names

Silas Simeon Salvador Sterling Sergio

Variants

Silvester

International Variants

Silvestre (Spanish)
Silvestro (Italian)
Silvestre (Portuguese)

Famous people named Sylvester

Sylvester Stallone is an American actor and filmmaker known for his roles in the 'Rocky' and 'Rambo' film series.

Sylvester McCoy is a Scottish actor best known for portraying the Seventh Doctor in the television series 'Doctor Who'.

Sylvester Graham was an American dietary reformer and the creator of the Graham cracker.

Sylvester the Cat is a famous animated character from the Looney Tunes franchise, known for his catchphrase 'Sufferin' succotash!'.

Fictional characters named Sylvester

Sylvester the Cat is a character from the Looney Tunes franchise, often depicted as a comical antagonist to Tweety Bird.

Sylvester is a character in the animated series 'The Sylvester and Tweety Mysteries', where he often attempts to catch Tweety.

Sibling Suggestions

Sebastian Simon Santiago Sullivan Sampson Soren

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Sylvester was first seen in the United States in 1880. Sylvester has ranked as high as #386 nationally, which occurred in 1920, and has been most popular in Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. In the past 5 years the name Sylvester has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

Top States for Sylvester (2024)

Year:

State	Births	Share
CA	6	50%
TX	6	50%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

Year	Births
1880	89
1881	76
1882	74
1883	69
1884	67
1885	82
1886	73
1887	71
1888	83
1889	112
1890	93
1891	64
1892	98
1893	85
1894	101
1895	99
1896	111
1897	111
1898	115
1899	94
1900	131
1901	120
1902	135
1903	114
1904	124
1905	126
1906	125
1907	151
1908	166
1909	151
1910	200
1911	219
1912	348
1913	464
1914	538
1915	706
1916	715
1917	715
1918	766
1919	749
1920	807
1921	755
1922	707
1923	727
1924	708
1925	690
1926	687
1927	611
1928	599
1929	570
1930	599
1931	525
1932	561
1933	495
1934	497
1935	529
1936	482
1937	476
1938	503
1939	471
1940	462
1941	537
1942	498
1943	501
1944	534
1945	508
1946	538
1947	596
1948	600
1949	588
1950	643
1951	640
1952	603
1953	635
1954	639
1955	644
1956	621
1957	604
1958	582
1959	559
1960	504
1961	517
1962	467
1963	454
1964	389
1965	388
1966	326
1967	294
1968	259
1969	242
1970	244
1971	291
1972	224
1973	241
1974	195
1975	218
1976	190
1977	217
1978	223
1979	249
1980	204
1981	215
1982	218
1983	184
1984	209
1985	194
1986	199
1987	199
1988	203
1989	193
1990	203
1991	135
1992	115
1993	143
1994	132
1995	121
1996	90
1997	103
1998	80
1999	91
2000	90
2001	80
2002	78
2003	83
2004	64
2005	67
2006	77
2007	62
2008	67
2009	67
2010	62
2011	60
2012	57
2013	76
2014	75
2015	73
2016	67
2017	67
2018	66
2019	74
2020	52
2021	68
2022	71
2023	67
2024	71