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Sylvia as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Sylvia

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The baby name Sylvia is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈsɪl.vi.ə/ (SIL-vee-ə).

Sylvia is Latin in Origin.

Gender: Female
Syllables: 3.0
Origin: Latin
Pronunciation: /ˈsɪl.vi.ə/ (SIL-vee-ə)

What is the meaning of the name Sylvia ?

The baby name Sylvia is a Female name , 3 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈsɪl.vi.ə/ (SIL-vee-ə).

Sylvia is Latin in Origin.

Sylvia is the English form of Latin Silvia, from silva “forest, wood,” conveying “from the forest” or “spirit of the woods.” In Roman legend Rhea Silvia was the mother of Romulus and Remus, anchoring the name in early myth; a 6th‑century Saint Silvia, mother of Pope Gregory the Great, further aided Christian use.

The name entered English in the Renaissance via classical revival and pastoral verse; Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona features the heroine Silvia, and poets later favored its sylvan imagery. Usage in the Anglosphere rose in the early 20th century, peaking mid‑century, and remains familiar through figures like Queen Silvia of Sweden. Common variants include Silvia (Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Catalan), Sílvia (Catalan, Portuguese), Sylvie (French), Sylwia (Polish), Silvie (Czech), and diminutives like Syl or Sylvi. Related masculine forms are Silvius, Silvio, and Sylvester.

Sylvia has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Sylvia

Sylvia Kristel Actor · Born 1952 · Kingdom of the Netherlands Sylvia Kristel was a Dutch actress best known for her role as Emmanuelle in the 1974 film of the same name. This film became a cultural phenomenon and led to several sequels. She also appeared in movies like 'Private Lessons' and 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'. Sylvia Sidney Actor · Born 1910 · United States Sylvia Sidney was an American actress best known for her roles in films like 'Fury' and 'Beetlejuice'. She gained fame in the 1930s for her performances in crime dramas and later became known to a new generation for her role as Juno in 'Beetlejuice'. Sylvia Hoeks Actor · Born 1983 · Kingdom of the Netherlands Sylvia Hoeks is a Dutch actor best known for her role as Luv in the film Blade Runner 2049. Born in 1983 in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, she has also appeared in The Girl in the Spider's Web and the TV series See.
Sylvia Chang Actor · Born 1953 · Taiwan Sylvia Chang is a Taiwanese actress and filmmaker known for her versatile roles in both acting and directing. She gained fame for her performances in films like 'Eat Drink Man Woman' and '20 30 40'. Besides acting, she has also directed several acclaimed films, showcasing her talent behind the camera. Sylvia Hitchcock Actor · Born 1946 · United States Sylvia Hitchcock was best known for winning the Miss Universe title in 1967. Born in the United States, she later pursued a career in modeling and acting. Her charm and elegance made her a memorable figure in the pageant world. Sylvia Bataille Actor · Born 1908 · France Sylvia Bataille was a French actress best known for her role in the film 'Partie de campagne' directed by Jean Renoir. She was active in the French cinema during the 1930s and 1940s, contributing significantly to the era's film landscape.

Celebrity babies named Sylvia

Name Last Name(s) Mother Mother famous for Fame Level Father Father famous for Fame Level
Sylvia Vaughn Thompson Gloria Stuart television actor ★★★★★
Sylvia Pasquel Silvia Pinal television actor ★★★★★ Rafael Banquells film director ★★★★★

Sylvia – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Girls 2024 #1 — 911
KR Girls 0 #15 1 572
BF Girls 0 #17 1 315
NA Girls 0 #17 492 7,146
HT Girls 0 #23 1 950
NA 0 #24 10 2,537
BN 0 #29 4 2,297
ID 0 #32 8 2,238
MV Girls 0 #35 1 2,021
MT 0 #43 1 1,767
PR 0 #46 10 1,497
MO 0 #49 4 2,706
CM 0 #50 7 2,592
NL Girls 0 #50 5,633 5,933
Iceland Girls 0 #52 11 132
Austria Girls 0 #53 1,679 1,885
CY 0 #54 7 1,632
ID Girls 0 #55 44 3,319
Germany Girls 0 #63 7,143 4,949
TW 0 #63 38 4,523
LU 0 #64 3 2,830
CN 0 #66 20 3,857
ZA Girls 0 #67 6,143 25,928
JM 0 #69 19 3,714
MT Girls 0 #72 83 3,773
BG 0 #75 8 1,799
AO 0 #77 1 2,729
JP 0 #77 1 4,057
BW Girls 0 #82 73 4,216
CY Girls 0 #85 37 3,755
PR Girls 0 #87 82 3,171
LT 0 #88 1 949
BN Girls 0 #93 14 5,459
OM 0 #101 16 6,215
SD 0 #101 2 2,130
PH 0 #105 6 5,607
TW Girls 0 #108 198 8,139
GH Girls 0 #112 398 6,973
HU 0 #114 2 1,675
CR 0 #117 42 5,526
EC 0 #117 5 2,502
Austria 0 #118 102 850
KW 0 #119 3 5,216
GR 0 #121 14 3,911
Norway Girls 2025 #123 4 453
JM Girls 0 #132 152 7,507
Switzerland Girls 2024 #134 2 1,786
MU 0 #135 3 3,613
NL 0 #135 324 2,481
PA 0 #137 2 3,797
RS Girls 0 #137 1 1,651
BN Boys 0 #139 1 6,332
JO 0 #139 2 2,158
EE Girls 0 #141 2 1,888
LU Girls 0 #142 45 4,850
Germany 0 #144 433 2,542
CN Girls 0 #146 283 8,829
UY 0 #149 29 2,477
BW Boys 0 #153 2 4,685
UY Girls 0 #158 718 6,731
SG 0 #161 112 11,010
AE 0 #166 12 10,220
GR Girls 0 #171 72 6,293
BG Girls 0 #172 53 3,559
NG Girls 0 #176 1,911 15,093
SI Girls 0 #177 1 2,769
Sweden Girls 2020 #179 2 1,663
MO Girls 0 #179 73 7,056
MT Boys 0 #179 1 4,064
HK Girls 0 #181 834 16,104
CZ 0 #184 3 3,154
GH 0 #185 59 5,396
NG 0 #185 81 5,926
AR 0 #188 6 2,915
MY 0 #192 146 12,352
HU Girls 0 #193 31 3,308
RU 0 #193 2 3,641
PL 0 #195 18 2,600
SG Girls 0 #196 581 18,916
DK 0 #198 9 5,198
LT Girls 0 #200 1 1,904
PS 0 #204 15 5,692
CL Girls 0 #208 1,963 14,098
AO Girls 0 #210 8 4,575
EC Girls 0 #211 29 3,650
HK 0 #218 140 8,483
NA Boys 0 #226 10 6,830
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
IR 0 #228 4 4,221
JP Girls 0 #229 17 6,592
Canada Girls 2024 #233 53 2,795
CM Girls 0 #233 411 11,671
PT 0 #235 12 4,161
PL Girls 0 #246 116 5,096
CR Girls 0 #251 355 11,342
IL 0 #256 19 6,291
TW Boys 0 #256 1 7,111
ZA 0 #262 187 14,421
PH Girls 0 #265 127 13,098
MY Girls 0 #273 1,315 24,821
QA Girls 0 #274 43 15,378
PE 0 #283 28 6,350
DK Girls 0 #285 32 7,429
EG 0 #290 118 6,387
CL 0 #291 124 6,867
JM Boys 0 #291 3 6,876
OM Girls 0 #291 106 15,987
HR Girls 0 #292 3 3,687
MU Girls 0 #299 53 8,539
JO Girls 0 #306 20 7,570
SA 0 #307 6 10,560
CZ Girls 0 #312 30 5,378
United States Girls 2024 #315 863 8,487
BR 0 #331 15 5,969
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
KZ Girls 0 #331 2 5,862
GT 0 #332 7 5,948
GH Boys 0 #335 11 8,138
Finland Girls 0 #342 50 1,368
Spain 0 #350 103 2,326
SD Girls 0 #351 8 7,678
Finland Girls 2026 #362 739 3,895
MX 0 #362 52 8,339
MU Boys 0 #368 2 8,477
BO 0 #369 13 6,868
BD Girls 0 #371 16 8,413
PT Girls 0 #379 73 7,952
France Girls 2021 #393 13 3,185
Spain Girls 0 #397 920 5,561
PH Boys 0 #408 1 11,440
CO 0 #411 70 7,768
UY Boys 0 #411 3 5,922
KW Girls 0 #421 95 19,177
PS Girls 0 #431 93 10,981
AE Girls 0 #433 121 20,968
PA Girls 0 #459 23 9,861
IL Girls 0 #465 155 11,648
GT Girls 0 #471 35 7,500
AR Boys 0 #483 1 7,628
RU Girls 0 #486 13 11,913
EG Girls 0 #490 619 14,742
IR Girls 0 #502 29 8,334
AR Girls 0 #504 96 8,289
BH 0 #518 36 17,937
IQ Girls 0 #520 6 11,303
RU Boys 0 #526 1 12,621
CM Boys 0 #541 10 12,054
BO Girls 0 #550 62 9,488
HK Boys 0 #554 4 12,905
LY 0 #555 5 12,703
PS Boys 0 #561 1 10,655
IN Girls 0 #603 29 13,121
BD Boys 0 #604 2 10,045
LB 0 #619 40 13,263
BO Boys 0 #622 1 9,244
IT 0 #622 93 4,183
CL Boys 0 #651 15 13,390
MX Girls 0 #651 704 17,781
PE Girls 0 #684 271 14,861
IT Girls 0 #721 985 9,415
SG Boys 0 #735 5 17,960
SA Girls 0 #752 184 25,931
KW Boys 0 #759 11 18,755
SY 0 #760 8 11,684
BR Boys 0 #782 4 12,213
BR Girls 0 #782 161 12,708
TN 0 #820 10 13,765
CO Girls 0 #855 228 16,140
OM Boys 0 #910 9 17,948
EG Boys 0 #918 8 15,035
PE Boys 0 #926 1 14,506
Germany Boys 0 #936 17 5,697
NG Boys 0 #937 15 16,906
NL Boys 0 #940 12 5,873
CO Boys 0 #981 1 15,656
MX Boys 0 #1,032 2 16,355
ZA Boys 0 #1,034 145 25,619
MY Boys 0 #1,100 12 25,439
MA 0 #1,104 25 20,986
AE Boys 0 #1,142 2 22,615
DZ 0 #1,167 10 20,130
TR 0 #1,176 36 19,440
SA Boys 0 #1,690 2 28,008

Sylvia is popular in 89 countries — most recent births per country:

France
Norway
Ireland
Scotland, United Kingdom
Canada

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Sylvia

Sylvia is predominantly a girl's name.
Sylvia is a 3 syllable name, pronounced /ˈsɪl.vi.ə/ (SIL-vee-ə).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Silvia, Sylvie, Silvie, Silvija, Sylwia and Sílvia.
Yes, very popular — Sylvia ranked #1 in Ireland in 2024, and appears in official birth registries across 10 countries.
Sylvia ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2024).
Sylvia's popularity is rising. It moved from #399 in 2011 to #393 in 2021 in France.
Yes — 6 notable people named Sylvia are in our database, including Sylvia Kristel (Actor), Sylvia Sidney (Actor), Sylvia Hoeks (Actor).
Yes — at least 2 celebrity couples have chosen Sylvia for their child, including Gloria Stuart.