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
- 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
girls
Rank among girls' names. Click any year to open it.
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
| 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 | — | |
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 1997
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · girls
- New Mexico#285 · 1 in 1,183
- Kentucky#299 · 1 in 1,796
- Wisconsin#311 · 1 in 1,788
- Minnesota#337 · 1 in 1,921
- Indiana#342 · 1 in 2,050
Best ever in a state: #16 in New York, 1913.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | #285 | 7 | 1 in 1,183 |
| Kentucky | #299 | 11 | 1 in 1,796 |
| Wisconsin | #311 | 14 | 1 in 1,788 |
| Minnesota | #337 | 13 | 1 in 1,921 |
| Indiana | #342 | 16 | 1 in 2,050 |
| South Carolina | #366 | 8 | 1 in 2,013 |
| Connecticut | #367 | 7 | 1 in 2,205 |
| Illinois | #388 | 31 | 1 in 2,255 |
| Alabama | #424 | 8 | 1 in 2,592 |
| Michigan | #429 | 19 | 1 in 2,735 |
| Mississippi | #432 | 5 | 1 in 2,303 |
| Oklahoma | #448 | 7 | 1 in 2,403 |
| Iowa | #451 | 5 | 1 in 2,745 |
| Arizona | #454 | 12 | 1 in 2,340 |
| Texas | #455 | 52 | 1 in 2,690 |
| New York | #459 | 35 | 1 in 2,886 |
| California | #463 | 80 | 1 in 2,786 |
| North Carolina | #467 | 13 | 1 in 3,081 |
| Pennsylvania | #492 | 17 | 1 in 3,427 |
| Georgia | #499 | 13 | 1 in 3,290 |
| Massachusetts | #500 | 8 | 1 in 3,975 |
| Florida | #509 | 23 | 1 in 3,189 |
| Maryland | #519 | 7 | 1 in 3,377 |
| Colorado | #520 | 7 | 1 in 2,993 |
| Ohio | #525 | 16 | 1 in 3,865 |
| Virginia | #546 | 9 | 1 in 3,695 |
| Oregon | #555 | 5 | 1 in 3,228 |
| New Jersey | #590 | 10 | 1 in 4,176 |
| Missouri | #595 | 7 | 1 in 4,217 |
| Louisiana | #662 | 5 | 1 in 4,328 |
| Tennessee | #737 | 5 | 1 in 5,882 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Idaho | — | — | — |
| Kansas | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nebraska | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Hampshire | — | — | — |
| North Dakota | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| South Dakota | — | — | — |
| Utah | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| Washington | — | — | — |
| 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
| 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 1997
girls
#484
518 births · 1 in 3,360 girls
Top girls' names in 1997
More about 1997
girls
1,740,710 girls got a published name in 1997; 1 in 3,360 of them was named Sylvia, which outranked 97.0% of the 16,163 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 11.3% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Sylvia
Biggest movers since 1996
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.