Silas
New Testament companion of Paul; a short form of Latin Silvanus, “of the forest.”
Popularity, 1880–2025
Silas appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 2020 to 2025. Its biggest year was 2025, when 4,639 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 71 nationally. In 2025 it ranked No. 71 for boys. All told, 75,649 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Related names
Other spellings on record: Sylas (8,966), Sylus (1,244), Sylis (1,043), Cylas (1,034), Cylus (902) (total births since 1880)
Other names that share a story: Paul
Explore Silas interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 775 | No. 139 |
| 1890s | 631 | No. 167 |
| 1900s | 509 | No. 248 |
| 1910s | 1,553 | No. 310 |
| 1920s | 2,031 | No. 398 |
| 1930s | 1,482 | No. 426 |
| 1940s | 1,276 | No. 508 |
| 1950s | 1,050 | No. 626 |
| 1960s | 753 | No. 773 |
| 1970s | 922 | No. 788 |
| 1980s | 1,175 | No. 757 |
| 1990s | 1,907 | No. 624 |
| 2000s | 7,308 | No. 252 |
| 2010s | 29,629 | No. 105 |
| 2020s | 24,464 | No. 71 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.