Girl · Latin · Christian · International
Sylvia
SylviaSay it SIL-vee-a
- Meaning today
- Of the forest, woodland
- Original meaning
- "of the woods (from Latin silva, 'wood, forest, woodland')" Lewis & Short, s.v. silva
- Say it
- SIL-vee-a
- Other spellings
- Silvia
Sylvia
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Sylvia meaning
Sylvia is a Christian and international girl's name of Latin origin.
Of the woods (from Latin silva, 'wood, forest, woodland')
Also used to mean: of the forest
Sylvia comes from Latin Silvia, built on silva, which Lewis & Short define as a wood, forest or woodland; the same word gives English 'sylvan'. In Roman legend Rhea Silvia was the mother of the twins Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, and Silvius was the family name of the old kings of Alba Longa. Christians remember St Silvia, the mother of Pope St Gregory the Great. It appears in Shakespeare's song 'Who is Silvia?'. In India Sylvia is used in Christian families, and Silvia is the older spelling.
Source: Lewis & Short, A Latin Dictionary (1879), s.v. silva · entry silva · See the entry · checked 25 Oct 2026
References: Lewis & Short, silva (alatius.com) · Wikipedia, Saint Silvia
Famous namesakes
- St Silvia, mother of Pope Gregory the Great
Popularity abroad
- #300 United States, girls 2025 (up 61 from 361 in 2024)
US Social Security Administration - #426 England and Wales, girls 2025
Office for National Statistics
Official birth registrations. India publishes no national name statistics.
Spellings
Sylvia · Silvia