Sylvia

#300 for girls in 2025, 1,017 births · Last seen for boys in 1992 at #8,435
Given to girls 99.6% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1937 · 4,371 births
Debut · girls
81 births
In top 100 · girls
36 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · girls
245,070
since 1880

Sylvia over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201913peak #50, 1937girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#3001,017—
2024#361868—
2023#427724—
2022#437720—
2021#465673—
2020#501606—
2019#510616—
2018#492633—
2017#482647—
2016#502622—
2015#484662—
2014#490638—
2013#507594—
2012#525578—
2011#550531—
2010#557525—
2009#548555—
2008#554556—
2007#532588—
2006#520581—
2005#528547—
2004#556513—
2003#550504—
2002#513535—
2001#517519—
2000#496542—
1999#482539—
1998#468553—
1997#484518—
1996#452553—
1995#436589—
1994#423593—
1993#372685—
1992#361711#8,4355
1991#322831—
1990#334818#8,1175
1989#319799#5,6158
1988#290856#5,2008
1987#285863#4,9688
1986#280879#5,3327
1985#271931#5,1477
1984#2481,003#3,27013
1983#2381,038#5,4846
1982#254984#4,5938
1981#2471,008#5,4686
1980#264962#4,9407
1979#2471,016#6,0565
1978#251947#5,0596
1977#255982#4,1648
1976#2281,057#5,5875
1975#2151,143#3,6599
1974#1891,353#3,5589
1973#1921,347—
1972#1941,465#4,9865
1971#1941,577#2,97311
1970#1891,727#3,07110
1969#1781,814#2,41513
1968#1641,963#2,57611
1967#1562,214#2,35212
1966#1462,411#3,5376
1965#1312,960#2,27013
1964#1362,945#2,54611
1963#1283,280#2,41412
1962#1313,458#1,80520
1961#1243,752#1,77821
1960#1213,824#2,68510
1959#1203,853#1,91618
1958#1144,156#2,37012
1957#1094,310#1,71522
1956#1084,145#2,9698
1955#1074,003#2,30212
1954#1014,083#2,7439
1953#1013,812#3,1437
1952#993,789#2,8758
1951#973,777#2,49510
1950#973,612#2,43810
1949#943,816#2,6069
1948#1003,671#2,6089
1947#974,100#1,91616
1946#824,093#2,03013
1945#833,375#2,13111
1944#833,292#1,81015
1943#773,623#1,69918
1942#723,728#2,9407
1941#653,788#1,75916
1940#623,802#1,51920
1939#623,870#1,42522
1938#564,259#1,97613
1937#504,371#1,62718
1936#534,156#1,35624
1935#603,620#1,58419
1934#703,475#1,78316
1933#842,935#1,99713
1932#962,568#1,84816
1931#1231,927#2,20712
1930#1321,830#2,44411
1929#1192,037#1,93316
1928#1192,222#2,04815
1927#1162,347#2,9129
1926#1072,528#1,98116
1925#1062,537#1,93517
1924#1042,757#3,5057
1923#982,838#2,22414
1922#942,961#3,5327
1921#883,297#1,90418
1920#853,317#4,2865
1919#773,412#3,3917
1918#713,675#3,0968
1917#693,469#2,28012
1916#683,414#2,9268
1915#673,284#2,8298
1914#702,565#1,77213
1913#722,013#1,9459
1912#771,639#1,7469
1911#821,184—
1910#921,000—
1909#93847—
1908#101748—
1907#109611#1,2006
1906#107617#1,2535
1905#120528—
1904#118497—
1903#120464—
1902#136411—
1901#129390—
1900#136446—
1899#130371—
1898#132391—
1897#135357—
1896#140340—
1895#157276—
1894#152288—
1893#144286—
1892#149275—
1891#155218—
1890#158223—
1889#177166—
1888#174166—
1887#173135—
1886#167137—
1885#173112—
1884#19987—
1883#19079—
1882#17879—
1881#18567—
1880#16181—
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Sylvia was already there! It came in at #161, and was given to 81 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1884, when fewer than 88 girls a year got the name.

Where Sylvia is popular in 1913

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedAKMaine: #98 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 359 girlsMEVermont: #64 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 224 girlsVTNew Hampshire: #82 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 285 girlsNHWashington: #80 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 274 girlsWAIdaho: #89 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 283 girlsIDMontana: #67 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 214 girlsMTNorth Dakota: #71 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 253 girlsNDMinnesota: #59 for girls · 47 births · 1 in 227 girlsMNIllinois: #68 for girls · 118 births · 1 in 280 girlsILWisconsin: #45 for girls · 68 births · 1 in 176 girlsWIMichigan: #61 for girls · 66 births · 1 in 238 girlsMINew York: #16 for girls · 623 births · 1 in 88 girlsNYMassachusetts: #73 for girls · 63 births · 1 in 324 girlsMARhode Island: #78 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 296 girlsRIOregon: #66 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 200 girlsORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: #68 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 237 girlsSDIowa: #85 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 354 girlsIAIndiana: #91 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 413 girlsINOhio: #65 for girls · 94 births · 1 in 291 girlsOHPennsylvania: #67 for girls · 163 births · 1 in 320 girlsPANew Jersey: #56 for girls · 62 births · 1 in 253 girlsNJConnecticut: #57 for girls · 28 births · 1 in 243 girlsCTCalifornia: #105 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 409 girlsCAUtah: #69 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 207 girlsUTColorado: #67 for girls · 15 births · 1 in 244 girlsCONebraska: #60 for girls · 29 births · 1 in 213 girlsNEMissouri: #66 for girls · 64 births · 1 in 265 girlsMOKentucky: #123 for girls · 30 births · 1 in 522 girlsKYWest Virginia: #64 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 249 girlsWVVirginia: #150 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 817 girlsVAMaryland: #55 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 224 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedNMKansas: #79 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 317 girlsKSArkansas: #131 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 462 girlsARTennessee: #166 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 854 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #225 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,426 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #160 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 779 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: #51 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 179 girlsDCOklahoma: #89 for girls · 36 births · 1 in 321 girlsOKLouisiana: #185 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 867 girlsLAMississippi: #208 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,042 girlsMSAlabama: #227 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,390 girlsALGeorgia: #231 for girls · 13 births · 1 in 1,587 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedHITexas: #185 for girls · 39 births · 1 in 765 girlsTXFlorida: #156 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 690 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. New York#16 · 1 in 88
  2. Wisconsin#45 · 1 in 176
  3. District of Columbia#51 · 1 in 179
  4. Maryland#55 · 1 in 224
  5. New Jersey#56 · 1 in 253

Best ever in a state: #16 in New York, 1913.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
New York#166231 in 88
Wisconsin#45681 in 176
District of Columbia#5181 in 179
Maryland#55321 in 224
New Jersey#56621 in 253
Connecticut#57281 in 243
Minnesota#59471 in 227
Nebraska#60291 in 213
Michigan#61661 in 238
Vermont#6461 in 224
West Virginia#64361 in 249
Ohio#65941 in 291
Missouri#66641 in 265
Oregon#66131 in 200
Colorado#67151 in 244
Montana#67101 in 214
Pennsylvania#671631 in 320
Illinois#681181 in 280
South Dakota#68131 in 237
Utah#69101 in 207
North Dakota#71141 in 253
Massachusetts#73631 in 324
Rhode Island#7891 in 296
Kansas#79271 in 317
Washington#80171 in 274
New Hampshire#8261 in 285
Iowa#85301 in 354
Idaho#8961 in 283
Oklahoma#89361 in 321
Indiana#91321 in 413
Maine#9891 in 359
California#105291 in 409
Kentucky#123301 in 522
Arkansas#131221 in 462
Virginia#150191 in 817
Florida#15681 in 690
South Carolina#160161 in 779
Tennessee#166171 in 854
Louisiana#185141 in 867
Texas#185391 in 765
Mississippi#208121 in 1,042
North Carolina#225131 in 1,426
Alabama#227121 in 1,390
Georgia#231131 in 1,587
Alaska———
Arizona———
Delaware———
Hawaii———
Nevada———
New Mexico———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Sylvia
Momentum · girls
Rising
  • 61 spots since 2024 (#361 → #300)
  • 201 spots since 2020 (#501 → #300)
  • 184 spots since 2015 (#484 → #300)
  • Biggest jump: 66 spots in 2024 (#427 → #361)
  • Biggest drop: 51 spots in 1994 (#372 → #423)
Rise & fade · girls
57 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1937 at #50 (4,371 births)
  • Births halved by 1968, 31 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 100 for 36 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 36 yrs · run 1932–1952
  • Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · girls
1 in 243
  • Highest: 1 in 243 girls born in 1937 were named Sylvia (0.41%)
  • Latest: 1 in 1,580 girls born in 2025 (0.06%)
Era · girls
The 1950s
  • 16.1% of all girls named Sylvia (39,540) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,109#161 (1880)#178
1890s3,025#130 (1899)#145
1900s5,559#93 (1909)#117
1910s25,655#67 (1915)#75
1920s26,841#85 (1920)#104
1930s33,011#50 (1937)#79
1940s37,288#62 (1940)#82
1950s39,540#97 (1951)#105
1960s28,621#121 (1960)#142
1970s12,614#189 (1970)#215
1980s9,323#238 (1983)#270
1990s6,390#322 (1991)#413
2000s5,440#496 (2000)#531
2010s6,046#482 (2017)#510
2020s4,608#300 (2025)#415

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Sylvia in 1913

girls
#72
2,013 births · 1 in 310 girls
boys
#1,945
9 births · 1 in 56,952 boys

Top girls' names in 1913

  1. #1Mary36,642
  2. #2Helen18,888
  3. #3Dorothy14,674
  4. #4Margaret14,486
  5. #5Ruth12,609
  6. #6Mildred9,921
  7. #7Anna9,687
  8. #8Elizabeth9,505
  9. #9Frances7,694
  10. #10Marie7,353
  11. #72Sylvia2,013

Top boys' names in 1913

  1. #1John29,329
  2. #2William23,538
  3. #3James20,832
  4. #4Robert15,684
  5. #5Joseph14,471
  6. #6George13,874
  7. #7Charles13,191
  8. #8Edward9,474
  9. #9Frank9,237
  10. #10Thomas7,096
  11. #1,945Sylvia9
More about 1913

girls

624,546 girls got a published name in 1913; 1 in 310 of them was named Sylvia, which outranked 98.1% of the 3,707 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.6% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sylvia
  1. #69Stella2,205
  2. #70Ella2,071
  3. #71Lillie2,030
  4. #72Sylvia2,013
  5. #73Lena1,973
  6. #74Leona1,911
  7. #75Mattie1,868
Biggest movers since 1912
Risers
  1. ↑ 963Dominga#1,844 → #881
  2. ↑ 931Stacia#1,844 → #913
  3. ↑ 576Olympia#1,477 → #901
  4. ↑ 559Lilah#1,540 → #981
  5. ↑ 445Elfrieda#1,297 → #852
Fallers
  1. ↓ 806Karen#960 → #1,766
  2. ↓ 572Erie#833 → #1,405
  3. ↓ 559Gertha#846 → #1,405
  4. ↓ 527Lossie#938 → #1,465
  5. ↓ 505Ardelia#960 → #1,465

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

512,566 boys got a published name in 1913; 1 in 56,952 of them was named Sylvia, which outranked 40.4% of the 3,261 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 30.6% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sylvia
  1. #1,803Whit10
  2. #1,803Wyman10
  3. #1,803Zoltan10
  4. #1,945Sylvia9
  5. #1,945Achille9
  6. #1,945Afton9
  7. #1,945Agustus9
  8. #2,092Ace8
  9. #2,092Adron8
  10. #2,092Akira8

Tied with 146 names at #1,945; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1912
Risers
  1. ↑ 1,050Mathias#1,885 → #835
  2. ↑ 935Hymen#1,885 → #950
  3. ↑ 796Waldemar#1,746 → #950
  4. ↑ 751Rolf#1,746 → #995
  5. ↑ 689Domenico#1,619 → #930
Fallers
  1. ↓ 975Holland#970 → #1,945
  2. ↓ 885Cameron#918 → #1,803
  3. ↓ 868Larue#935 → #1,803
  4. ↓ 726Irene#854 → #1,580
  5. ↓ 688Hughie#892 → #1,580

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1913 →