Sylvan
Boy name · 3 babies recorded · 1974–2025
Sylvan: 3 babies born in Scotland since 1974, given to boys, peaking at 3 births in 2023.
Sylvan comes from the Latin *silva* meaning “wood” or “forest,” originally the name of the Roman god Sylvanus, the protector of woodlands and uncultivated land. Notable bearers include Sylvanus Thayer, the “Father of West Point” who revolutionised American military engineering, and Sylvan Goldman, the American businessman who invented the shopping cart. The name appears in several place names, such as Sylvan Lake in Alberta, Canada, and Sylvan, Pennsylvania, both reflecting wooded landscapes. A soft, nature-infused variant, Sylvan is also linked to the feminine Sylvia, and its Greek counterpart Hylas (from *hylē* “forest”) appears in classical myth as the beloved of Heracles.
Boy 1 of 52 years
- Peak year
- 20233 babies
- Latest (2023)
- #7283 babies
- Total births
- 3since 2023
- 5-year trend
- ≈ stablevs prior 5y