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#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201994peak #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 1994

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedNHWashington: #570 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 3,612 girlsWAIdaho: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedNDMinnesota: #478 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,660 girlsMNIllinois: #349 for girls · 34 births · 1 in 2,183 girlsILWisconsin: #503 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,759 girlsWIMichigan: #532 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 3,872 girlsMINew York: #461 for girls · 37 births · 1 in 3,006 girlsNYMassachusetts: #490 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,758 girlsMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedSDIowa: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedIAIndiana: #519 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 3,642 girlsINOhio: #498 for girls · 17 births · 1 in 3,804 girlsOHPennsylvania: #354 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 2,405 girlsPANew Jersey: #594 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 4,402 girlsNJConnecticut: #379 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,438 girlsCTCalifornia: #362 for girls · 116 births · 1 in 2,091 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedUTColorado: #365 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,023 girlsCONebraska: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedNEMissouri: #426 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 2,967 girlsMOKentucky: #511 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 3,998 girlsKYWest Virginia: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedWVVirginia: #487 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,526 girlsVAMaryland: #429 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 2,807 girlsMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedDEArizona: #272 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 1,353 girlsAZNew Mexico: #336 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 1,471 girlsNMKansas: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedKSArkansas: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedARTennessee: #356 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 2,435 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #566 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 4,239 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #381 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 2,369 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #370 for girls · 8 births · 1 in 2,024 girlsOKLouisiana: #543 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,203 girlsLAMississippi: #453 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 2,436 girlsMSAlabama: #454 for girls · 7 births · 1 in 3,000 girlsALGeorgia: #577 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 4,075 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Sylvia, so not publishedHITexas: #295 for girls · 82 births · 1 in 1,658 girlsTXFlorida: #325 for girls · 38 births · 1 in 1,961 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Arizona#272 · 1 in 1,353
  2. Texas#295 · 1 in 1,658
  3. Florida#325 · 1 in 1,961
  4. New Mexico#336 · 1 in 1,471
  5. Illinois#349 · 1 in 2,183

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

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Arizona#272201 in 1,353
Texas#295821 in 1,658
Florida#325381 in 1,961
New Mexico#33661 in 1,471
Illinois#349341 in 2,183
Pennsylvania#354271 in 2,405
Tennessee#356121 in 2,435
California#3621161 in 2,091
Colorado#365101 in 2,023
Oklahoma#37081 in 2,024
Connecticut#37971 in 2,438
South Carolina#38171 in 2,369
Missouri#426101 in 2,967
Maryland#42991 in 2,807
Mississippi#45351 in 2,436
Alabama#45471 in 3,000
New York#461371 in 3,006
Minnesota#47871 in 3,660
Virginia#487101 in 3,526
Massachusetts#49091 in 3,758
Ohio#498171 in 3,804
Wisconsin#50371 in 3,759
Kentucky#51151 in 3,998
Indiana#51991 in 3,642
Michigan#532141 in 3,872
Louisiana#54371 in 3,203
North Carolina#56691 in 4,239
Washington#57081 in 3,612
Georgia#577101 in 4,075
New Jersey#594101 in 4,402
Alaska———
Arkansas———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Iowa———
Kansas———
Maine———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
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
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 1994

girls
#423
593 births · 1 in 3,011 girls

Top girls' names in 1994

  1. #1Jessica32,122
  2. #2Ashley30,281
  3. #3Emily24,154
  4. #4Samantha22,824
  5. #5Sarah22,299
  6. #6Taylor20,734
  7. #7Brittany18,900
  8. #8Amanda18,718
  9. #9Elizabeth16,786
  10. #10Megan16,580
  11. #423Sylvia593
More about 1994

girls

1,785,753 girls got a published name in 1994; 1 in 3,011 of them was named Sylvia, which outranked 97.3% of the 15,759 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 12.5% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Sylvia
  1. #420Abbey597
  2. #420Shayna597
  3. #422Alice596
  4. #423Sylvia593
  5. #423Celina593
  6. #423Cortney593
  7. #423Kourtney593
  8. #427Clara592
  9. #428Joy589
  10. #429Alma586

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1993
Risers
  1. ↑ 4,523Nohely#5,419 → #896
  2. ↑ 4,322Aaliyah#4,524 → #202
  3. ↑ 2,306Zana#3,108 → #802
  4. ↑ 1,711Aliyah#2,068 → #357
  5. ↑ 1,430Zhane#2,012 → #582
Fallers
  1. ↓ 1,015Coraima#875 → #1,890
  2. ↓ 799Kalene#929 → #1,728
  3. ↓ 656Deyanira#938 → #1,594
  4. ↓ 577Crysta#968 → #1,545
  5. ↓ 562Hilary#647 → #1,209

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

See the top 100 for 1994 →