Total births
470
Boys' name · since 1880
Sylvanus
Sylvanus has 470 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1915 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #9911
- among boys today
- 470
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Sylvanus currently ranks #9911 among boys' names in America, with 470 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Sylvanus recorded 470 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #9911 nationally today, ahead of 31% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #9911 among boys today
- 470 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 31% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Sylvanus is currently the #9911 boys' name in America, more common than 31% of boys - 470 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #9911
- among boys today
- 470
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 31%
- more common than other boys
Sylvanus vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#9911
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 31% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
21% of everyone ever named Sylvanus was born in this single decade.
1915
Single peak year
15 babies were named Sylvanus in 1915 - its busiest year on record.
How Sylvanus compares
470 Top 45% higher than 55% 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
Sylvanus's all-time total is 28% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Sylvanus | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 470 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 15 | 23 | 22,252 |
Sylvanus's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Sylvanus's SSA record in two at 1944 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1880, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1915 peak of 15, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Sylvanus at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1915
Current rank
#9,911
Active since
1880
Sylvanus popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1915)
- 15
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Sylvanus by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Sylvanus's strongest decade.
97 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 21% of all-time use.
Sylvanus births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 23
1880s
23 births
- 1890s 8
1890s
8 births
- 1900s 11
1900s
11 births
- 1910s
1910s
81 births
- 1920s
1920s
97 births
- 1930s 34
1930s
34 births
- 1940s
1940s
40 births
- 1950s 13
1950s
13 births
- 1960s 5
1960s
5 births
- 1970s 15
1970s
15 births
- 1980s 28
1980s
28 births
- 1990s 16
1990s
16 births
- 2000s 35
2000s
35 births
- 2010s 31
2010s
31 births
- 2020s 33
2020s
33 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 97 births (21% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Sylvanus? ▼
470 babies have been named Sylvanus since 1880. It currently ranks #9911 among boys. The peak year was 1915 with 15 births.
When was Sylvanus most popular? ▼
Sylvanus was most popular in the 1920s decade with 97 total births. The single peak year was 1915.
How long has the name Sylvanus been used? ▼
Sylvanus has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Sylvanus? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Sylvester, Sylas, Sylvan, Sylus, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Sylvanus's data
- Sylvanus's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (97 total births) through the 2020s (33) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Sylvanus
Nearby Names Like Sylvanus
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Sylvanus
Sylvester Boy
#2098 43,230 births
Sylas Boy
#486 8,889 births
Sylvan Boy
#1892 3,684 births
Sylus Boy
#2665 1,244 births
Sylis Boy
#3259 1,043 births
Compare Sylvanus side by side: Sylvanus vs Sylvester Sylvanus vs Sylas Sylvanus vs Sylvan
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Sylvanus
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Sylvanus: #9911 Boys' Name - 470 Births, Peak 1915." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/sylvanus. 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 Sylvanus 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.