The first name Silvia
A girl’s name from Latin meaning “forest”.
Pronounced /ˈsɪlvi.ə/ 3 syllables Female Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Latin origin
Silvia means “forest” in Latin.
Feminine form of Silvius, from Latin silva (“forest”). In myths, Rhea Silvia was the mother of famous twins Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. 6th-century saint Silvia was the mother of the pope Gregory the Great.
More names that mean forest.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 12 girls were named Silvia, making it the 2,278th most popular girls’ name. It peaked in 2020, with 21 births (#1,449).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Silvia with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Silvia at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 182 girls born in the United States were named Silvia, the 1,240th most popular girls’ name that year. It was used most in 1991, when 374 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Silvia in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Spelled Silvia in Estonian, German, Italian and Spanish too.
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Silvia
32 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Silvia SaintCzech pornographic actress, born 1976
- Silvia NeidGerman football player and manager, born 1964
- Silvia MuntCatalan actress and director, born 1957
- Silvia PollCosta Rican swimmer, born 1970
- Silvia ChivásCuban athletics competitor (born 1954)
- Silvia CostaCuban high jumper, born 1964
- Silvia FröhlichEast German rower, born 1959
- Silvia LegrandArgentine actress (1927-2322)
- Sílvia PfeiferBrazilian actress, born 1958
- Silvia MeseguerFootballer, born 1989
- Silvia AbrilActress, born 1971
- Silvia Andrea Santos LuzBrazilian basketball player (born 1975)
More Latin girls’ names
Questions
- What does the name Silvia mean?
- Silvia means “forest” in Latin.
- What is the origin of the name Silvia?
- Feminine form of Silvius, from Latin silva (“forest”). In myths, Rhea Silvia was the mother of famous twins Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome. 6th-century saint Silvia was the mother of the pope Gregory the Great.
- How popular is the name Silvia?
- In 2025, 12 girls born in England and Wales were named Silvia, ranking 2,278th. Its peak was 2020, with 21 births.
- Is Silvia a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a girl's name: 100% of the 21,323 US babies named Silvia since 1880 were girls.
- When was Silvia most popular?
- 1991 in the United States, when 374 babies were named Silvia, its highest rank at 603rd.
- How do you pronounce Silvia?
- Silvia is /ˈsɪlvi.ə/, 3 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Silvia?
- Sylvia.
- Is Silvia also a surname?
- Yes. Silvia is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.