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Silas

Boy name · 19 babies recorded · 1974–2025

Silas: 19 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 4 births in 2016.

Silas has Latin roots, originally deriving from Silvanus, the Roman god of woodlands, and also appears in the New Testament as a faithful missionary companion of Paul. The most famous fictional bearer is Silas Marner, the reclusive weaver in George Eliot’s classic novel, while real-life figures include American actor Silas Weir Mitchell. Place connections are less direct, though the name shares its root with countless locations bearing the element “silva” (forest), such as Silva in Portugal. In recent decades, Silas has enjoyed a quiet resurgence across Scotland and the wider UK, prized for its dignified, earthy feel and timeless biblical associations—a name that feels both ancient and refreshingly modern.

Boy 5 of 52 years

Peak year
20164 babies
Latest (2025)
#6474 babies
Total births
19since 1996
5-year trend
≈ stablevs prior 5y
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2016 · 4
Births per year in Scotland. Missing years had a count of 2 or fewer (suppressed by NRS).