Total births
3,684
Boys' name · since 1886
Sylvan
Sylvan has 3,684 recorded births since 1886 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1918 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #1892
- among boys today
- 3,684
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Yes -- Sylvan is the #1892 most popular boys' name in the U.S. today, with 3,684 recorded since 1886.
Sylvan has 3,684 recorded births among boys since 1886, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #1892 as of the latest data, more common than 87% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1886 to 2025.
- #1892 among boys today
- 3,684 born since 1886
- 1920s peak decade
- 87% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sylvan is currently the #1892 boys' name in America, more common than 87% of boys - 3,684 born since 1886, peaking in the 1920s.
- #1892
- among boys today
- 3,684
- born since 1886
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 87%
- more common than other boys
Sylvan vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#1892
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 87% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
18% of everyone ever named Sylvan was born in this single decade.
1918
Single peak year
103 babies were named Sylvan in 1918 - its busiest year on record.
How Sylvan compares
3,684 Top 15% higher than 85% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Sylvan's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sylvan | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,684 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 103 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sylvan's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Sylvan splits its recorded history at 1960: 40% of all births land in the more recent half, 60% in the earlier half, leaning more toward its earlier era than today's. The single quietest year was 1888 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1918 peak of 103 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Sylvan at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1918
Current rank
#1,892
Active since
1886
Sylvan popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1886–2025
- Peak year (1918)
- 103
- Annual births at peak, across 140 years of records
Sylvan popularity over time - girls
129 total births recorded since 1993 (Sylvan as girls' name)
Sylvan by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Sylvan's strongest decade.
660 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 18% of all-time use.
Sylvan births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 12
1880s
12 births
- 1890s 39
1890s
39 births
- 1900s 77
1900s
77 births
- 1910s
1910s
585 births
- 1920s
1920s
660 births
- 1930s
1930s
391 births
- 1940s
1940s
278 births
- 1950s 178
1950s
178 births
- 1960s 108
1960s
108 births
- 1970s 105
1970s
105 births
- 1980s 127
1980s
127 births
- 1990s 132
1990s
132 births
- 2000s 215
2000s
215 births
- 2010s
2010s
330 births
- 2020s
2020s
447 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 660 births (18% of all-time use).
How Sylvan compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Sylvan's total volume
Sylvan vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Sylvan by state
Where Sylvan concentrates geographically, total births since 1886
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Pennsylvania | | 352 | 9.6% |
| #2 | New York | | 137 | 3.7% |
| #3 | Maryland | | 79 | 2.1% |
| #4 | Wisconsin | | 51 | 1.4% |
| #5 | California | | 49 | 1.3% |
| #6 | Texas | | 45 | 1.2% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 43 | 1.2% |
| #8 | Illinois | | 30 | 0.8% |
Pennsylvania share of Sylvan's total US births 9.6%
Even split
352 of 3,684 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 17 reporting states.
Sylvan appears in 17 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sylvan? ▼
Since 1886, Social Security records show 3,684 babies named Sylvan. Today it holds rank #1892 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 1918, with 103 births.
When was Sylvan most popular? ▼
Sylvan was most popular in the 1920s decade with 660 total births. The single peak year was 1918.
Where is Sylvan most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Sylvan are Pennsylvania (352 births), New York (137 births), Maryland (79 births).
How long has the name Sylvan been used? ▼
Records for Sylvan go back to 1886, giving 140 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Sylvan? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sylvester, Sylas, Sylus, Sylis, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sylvan's data
- Sylvan's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (660 total births) through the 2020s (447) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Pennsylvania records the most Sylvans (352 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Pennsylvania names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Sylvan
Nearby Names Like Sylvan
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sylvan
Sylvester Boy
#2098 43,230 births
Sylas Boy
#486 8,889 births
Sylus Boy
#2665 1,244 births
Sylis Boy
#3259 1,043 births
Sylvia Boy
908 births
Compare Sylvan side by side: Sylvan vs Sylvester Sylvan vs Sylas Sylvan vs Sylus
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sylvan
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1886–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sylvan: #1892 Boys' Name - 3,684 Births, Peak 1918." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sylvan. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Sylvan draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.