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
- Peak · girls
- 1937 · 4,371 births
- Debut · girls
- 81 births
- In top 100 · girls
- 36 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · girls
- 245,070since 1880
Sylvia over time
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #300 | 1,017 | — | |
| 2024 | #361 | 868 | — | |
| 2023 | #427 | 724 | — | |
| 2022 | #437 | 720 | — | |
| 2021 | #465 | 673 | — | |
| 2020 | #501 | 606 | — | |
| 2019 | #510 | 616 | — | |
| 2018 | #492 | 633 | — | |
| 2017 | #482 | 647 | — | |
| 2016 | #502 | 622 | — | |
| 2015 | #484 | 662 | — | |
| 2014 | #490 | 638 | — | |
| 2013 | #507 | 594 | — | |
| 2012 | #525 | 578 | — | |
| 2011 | #550 | 531 | — | |
| 2010 | #557 | 525 | — | |
| 2009 | #548 | 555 | — | |
| 2008 | #554 | 556 | — | |
| 2007 | #532 | 588 | — | |
| 2006 | #520 | 581 | — | |
| 2005 | #528 | 547 | — | |
| 2004 | #556 | 513 | — | |
| 2003 | #550 | 504 | — | |
| 2002 | #513 | 535 | — | |
| 2001 | #517 | 519 | — | |
| 2000 | #496 | 542 | — | |
| 1999 | #482 | 539 | — | |
| 1998 | #468 | 553 | — | |
| 1997 | #484 | 518 | — | |
| 1996 | #452 | 553 | — | |
| 1995 | #436 | 589 | — | |
| 1994 | #423 | 593 | — | |
| 1993 | #372 | 685 | — | |
| 1992 | #361 | 711 | #8,435 | 5 |
| 1991 | #322 | 831 | — | |
| 1990 | #334 | 818 | #8,117 | 5 |
| 1989 | #319 | 799 | #5,615 | 8 |
| 1988 | #290 | 856 | #5,200 | 8 |
| 1987 | #285 | 863 | #4,968 | 8 |
| 1986 | #280 | 879 | #5,332 | 7 |
| 1985 | #271 | 931 | #5,147 | 7 |
| 1984 | #248 | 1,003 | #3,270 | 13 |
| 1983 | #238 | 1,038 | #5,484 | 6 |
| 1982 | #254 | 984 | #4,593 | 8 |
| 1981 | #247 | 1,008 | #5,468 | 6 |
| 1980 | #264 | 962 | #4,940 | 7 |
| 1979 | #247 | 1,016 | #6,056 | 5 |
| 1978 | #251 | 947 | #5,059 | 6 |
| 1977 | #255 | 982 | #4,164 | 8 |
| 1976 | #228 | 1,057 | #5,587 | 5 |
| 1975 | #215 | 1,143 | #3,659 | 9 |
| 1974 | #189 | 1,353 | #3,558 | 9 |
| 1973 | #192 | 1,347 | — | |
| 1972 | #194 | 1,465 | #4,986 | 5 |
| 1971 | #194 | 1,577 | #2,973 | 11 |
| 1970 | #189 | 1,727 | #3,071 | 10 |
| 1969 | #178 | 1,814 | #2,415 | 13 |
| 1968 | #164 | 1,963 | #2,576 | 11 |
| 1967 | #156 | 2,214 | #2,352 | 12 |
| 1966 | #146 | 2,411 | #3,537 | 6 |
| 1965 | #131 | 2,960 | #2,270 | 13 |
| 1964 | #136 | 2,945 | #2,546 | 11 |
| 1963 | #128 | 3,280 | #2,414 | 12 |
| 1962 | #131 | 3,458 | #1,805 | 20 |
| 1961 | #124 | 3,752 | #1,778 | 21 |
| 1960 | #121 | 3,824 | #2,685 | 10 |
| 1959 | #120 | 3,853 | #1,916 | 18 |
| 1958 | #114 | 4,156 | #2,370 | 12 |
| 1957 | #109 | 4,310 | #1,715 | 22 |
| 1956 | #108 | 4,145 | #2,969 | 8 |
| 1955 | #107 | 4,003 | #2,302 | 12 |
| 1954 | #101 | 4,083 | #2,743 | 9 |
| 1953 | #101 | 3,812 | #3,143 | 7 |
| 1952 | #99 | 3,789 | #2,875 | 8 |
| 1951 | #97 | 3,777 | #2,495 | 10 |
| 1950 | #97 | 3,612 | #2,438 | 10 |
| 1949 | #94 | 3,816 | #2,606 | 9 |
| 1948 | #100 | 3,671 | #2,608 | 9 |
| 1947 | #97 | 4,100 | #1,916 | 16 |
| 1946 | #82 | 4,093 | #2,030 | 13 |
| 1945 | #83 | 3,375 | #2,131 | 11 |
| 1944 | #83 | 3,292 | #1,810 | 15 |
| 1943 | #77 | 3,623 | #1,699 | 18 |
| 1942 | #72 | 3,728 | #2,940 | 7 |
| 1941 | #65 | 3,788 | #1,759 | 16 |
| 1940 | #62 | 3,802 | #1,519 | 20 |
| 1939 | #62 | 3,870 | #1,425 | 22 |
| 1938 | #56 | 4,259 | #1,976 | 13 |
| 1937 | #50 | 4,371 | #1,627 | 18 |
| 1936 | #53 | 4,156 | #1,356 | 24 |
| 1935 | #60 | 3,620 | #1,584 | 19 |
| 1934 | #70 | 3,475 | #1,783 | 16 |
| 1933 | #84 | 2,935 | #1,997 | 13 |
| 1932 | #96 | 2,568 | #1,848 | 16 |
| 1931 | #123 | 1,927 | #2,207 | 12 |
| 1930 | #132 | 1,830 | #2,444 | 11 |
| 1929 | #119 | 2,037 | #1,933 | 16 |
| 1928 | #119 | 2,222 | #2,048 | 15 |
| 1927 | #116 | 2,347 | #2,912 | 9 |
| 1926 | #107 | 2,528 | #1,981 | 16 |
| 1925 | #106 | 2,537 | #1,935 | 17 |
| 1924 | #104 | 2,757 | #3,505 | 7 |
| 1923 | #98 | 2,838 | #2,224 | 14 |
| 1922 | #94 | 2,961 | #3,532 | 7 |
| 1921 | #88 | 3,297 | #1,904 | 18 |
| 1920 | #85 | 3,317 | #4,286 | 5 |
| 1919 | #77 | 3,412 | #3,391 | 7 |
| 1918 | #71 | 3,675 | #3,096 | 8 |
| 1917 | #69 | 3,469 | #2,280 | 12 |
| 1916 | #68 | 3,414 | #2,926 | 8 |
| 1915 | #67 | 3,284 | #2,829 | 8 |
| 1914 | #70 | 2,565 | #1,772 | 13 |
| 1913 | #72 | 2,013 | #1,945 | 9 |
| 1912 | #77 | 1,639 | #1,746 | 9 |
| 1911 | #82 | 1,184 | — | |
| 1910 | #92 | 1,000 | — | |
| 1909 | #93 | 847 | — | |
| 1908 | #101 | 748 | — | |
| 1907 | #109 | 611 | #1,200 | 6 |
| 1906 | #107 | 617 | #1,253 | 5 |
| 1905 | #120 | 528 | — | |
| 1904 | #118 | 497 | — | |
| 1903 | #120 | 464 | — | |
| 1902 | #136 | 411 | — | |
| 1901 | #129 | 390 | — | |
| 1900 | #136 | 446 | — | |
| 1899 | #130 | 371 | — | |
| 1898 | #132 | 391 | — | |
| 1897 | #135 | 357 | — | |
| 1896 | #140 | 340 | — | |
| 1895 | #157 | 276 | — | |
| 1894 | #152 | 288 | — | |
| 1893 | #144 | 286 | — | |
| 1892 | #149 | 275 | — | |
| 1891 | #155 | 218 | — | |
| 1890 | #158 | 223 | — | |
| 1889 | #177 | 166 | — | |
| 1888 | #174 | 166 | — | |
| 1887 | #173 | 135 | — | |
| 1886 | #167 | 137 | — | |
| 1885 | #173 | 112 | — | |
| 1884 | #199 | 87 | — | |
| 1883 | #190 | 79 | — | |
| 1882 | #178 | 79 | — | |
| 1881 | #185 | 67 | — | |
| 1880 | #161 | 81 | — | |
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 1990
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- District of Columbia#171 · 1 in 664
- Texas#185 · 1 in 1,042
- Nevada#205 · 1 in 985
- Idaho#209 · 1 in 893
- Arizona#213 · 1 in 1,050
Best ever in a state: #16 in New York, 1913.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | #171 | 7 | 1 in 664 |
| Texas | #185 | 132 | 1 in 1,042 |
| Nevada | #205 | 7 | 1 in 985 |
| Idaho | #209 | 6 | 1 in 893 |
| Arizona | #213 | 25 | 1 in 1,050 |
| Arkansas | #230 | 10 | 1 in 1,263 |
| California | #263 | 189 | 1 in 1,389 |
| Missouri | #265 | 19 | 1 in 1,729 |
| Illinois | #275 | 46 | 1 in 1,707 |
| Wisconsin | #288 | 15 | 1 in 1,955 |
| Oregon | #294 | 10 | 1 in 1,678 |
| Utah | #316 | 8 | 1 in 1,694 |
| New Mexico | #335 | 6 | 1 in 1,547 |
| Georgia | #336 | 19 | 1 in 2,246 |
| New York | #337 | 60 | 1 in 2,034 |
| Alabama | #351 | 10 | 1 in 2,248 |
| Maryland | #355 | 12 | 1 in 2,364 |
| Kansas | #366 | 6 | 1 in 2,327 |
| Tennessee | #383 | 11 | 1 in 2,745 |
| Connecticut | #384 | 7 | 1 in 2,728 |
| Oklahoma | #400 | 7 | 1 in 2,493 |
| Massachusetts | #406 | 13 | 1 in 2,980 |
| Pennsylvania | #406 | 23 | 1 in 3,156 |
| Colorado | #419 | 8 | 1 in 2,596 |
| Florida | #420 | 27 | 1 in 2,931 |
| North Carolina | #423 | 13 | 1 in 3,143 |
| South Carolina | #448 | 7 | 1 in 2,862 |
| Michigan | #451 | 18 | 1 in 3,471 |
| Mississippi | #460 | 5 | 1 in 2,755 |
| Washington | #469 | 10 | 1 in 3,090 |
| Virginia | #487 | 10 | 1 in 3,779 |
| Ohio | #497 | 17 | 1 in 4,170 |
| Kentucky | #505 | 5 | 1 in 4,248 |
| Louisiana | #510 | 8 | 1 in 3,173 |
| New Jersey | #549 | 11 | 1 in 4,361 |
| Indiana | #555 | 8 | 1 in 4,397 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Iowa | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Minnesota | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| 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
- 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)
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 1937 at #50 (4,371 births)
- Births halved by 1968, 31 yrs later
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 36 yrs · run 1932–1952
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
- Highest: 1 in 243 girls born in 1937 were named Sylvia (0.41%)
- Latest: 1 in 1,580 girls born in 2025 (0.06%)
- 16.1% of all girls named Sylvia (39,540) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,109 | #161 (1880) | #178 |
| 1890s | 3,025 | #130 (1899) | #145 |
| 1900s | 5,559 | #93 (1909) | #117 |
| 1910s | 25,655 | #67 (1915) | #75 |
| 1920s | 26,841 | #85 (1920) | #104 |
| 1930s | 33,011 | #50 (1937) | #79 |
| 1940s | 37,288 | #62 (1940) | #82 |
| 1950s | 39,540 | #97 (1951) | #105 |
| 1960s | 28,621 | #121 (1960) | #142 |
| 1970s | 12,614 | #189 (1970) | #215 |
| 1980s | 9,323 | #238 (1983) | #270 |
| 1990s | 6,390 | #322 (1991) | #413 |
| 2000s | 5,440 | #496 (2000) | #531 |
| 2010s | 6,046 | #482 (2017) | #510 |
| 2020s | 4,608 | #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 1990
Top girls' names in 1990
Top boys' names in 1990
More about 1990
girls
1,898,547 girls got a published name in 1990; 1 in 2,321 of them was named Sylvia, which outranked 97.8% of the 15,234 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 16.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
2,054,038 boys got a published name in 1990; 1 in 410,808 of them was named Sylvia, which outranked 14.5% of the 9,493 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 19.5% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Tied with 1,376 names at #8,117; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.