Boy nameCurrently #81 in the USRising
Silas
SY-lus//ˈsaɪləs//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20245 lettersStarts with S
Meaning & origin
Man of the forest, or short form of Silvanus
Silas likely comes from a shortened Greek/Latin form of Silvanus, related to 'silva', meaning forest, and belongs in the New Testament to a companion of the apostle Paul on his missionary journeys. Its earthy, vintage-biblical sound has made it very popular in recent years.
Silas's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Silas |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 98 |
| 1881 | 73 |
| 1882 | 92 |
| 1883 | 77 |
| 1884 | 83 |
| 1885 | 73 |
| 1886 | 77 |
| 1887 | 64 |
| 1888 | 71 |
| 1889 | 67 |
| 1890 | 84 |
| 1891 | 58 |
| 1892 | 89 |
| 1893 | 57 |
| 1894 | 56 |
| 1895 | 68 |
| 1896 | 63 |
| 1897 | 53 |
| 1898 | 48 |
| 1899 | 55 |
| 1900 | 68 |
| 1901 | 37 |
| 1902 | 55 |
| 1903 | 47 |
| 1904 | 51 |
| 1905 | 43 |
| 1906 | 53 |
| 1907 | 45 |
| 1908 | 48 |
| 1909 | 62 |
| 1910 | 64 |
| 1911 | 59 |
| 1912 | 108 |
| 1913 | 126 |
| 1914 | 173 |
| 1915 | 197 |
| 1916 | 190 |
| 1917 | 205 |
| 1918 | 229 |
| 1919 | 202 |
| 1920 | 218 |
| 1921 | 224 |
| 1922 | 213 |
| 1923 | 206 |
| 1924 | 218 |
| 1925 | 219 |
| 1926 | 211 |
| 1927 | 183 |
| 1928 | 167 |
| 1929 | 177 |
| 1930 | 191 |
| 1931 | 169 |
| 1932 | 154 |
| 1933 | 143 |
| 1934 | 142 |
| 1935 | 143 |
| 1936 | 145 |
| 1937 | 109 |
| 1938 | 146 |
| 1939 | 140 |
| 1940 | 120 |
| 1941 | 118 |
| 1942 | 145 |
| 1943 | 137 |
| 1944 | 118 |
| 1945 | 112 |
| 1946 | 142 |
| 1947 | 132 |
| 1948 | 113 |
| 1949 | 139 |
| 1950 | 120 |
| 1951 | 94 |
| 1952 | 101 |
| 1953 | 113 |
| 1954 | 115 |
| 1955 | 90 |
| 1956 | 101 |
| 1957 | 116 |
| 1958 | 104 |
| 1959 | 96 |
| 1960 | 79 |
| 1961 | 87 |
| 1962 | 78 |
| 1963 | 97 |
| 1964 | 70 |
| 1965 | 90 |
| 1966 | 72 |
| 1967 | 52 |
| 1968 | 62 |
| 1969 | 66 |
| 1970 | 69 |
| 1971 | 73 |
| 1972 | 74 |
| 1973 | 94 |
| 1974 | 83 |
| 1975 | 111 |
| 1976 | 100 |
| 1977 | 93 |
| 1978 | 113 |
| 1979 | 112 |
| 1980 | 116 |
| 1981 | 133 |
| 1982 | 114 |
| 1983 | 123 |
| 1984 | 103 |
| 1985 | 116 |
| 1986 | 115 |
| 1987 | 121 |
| 1988 | 116 |
| 1989 | 118 |
| 1990 | 118 |
| 1991 | 133 |
| 1992 | 165 |
| 1993 | 155 |
| 1994 | 153 |
| 1995 | 204 |
| 1996 | 207 |
| 1997 | 230 |
| 1998 | 251 |
| 1999 | 290 |
| 2000 | 328 |
| 2001 | 376 |
| 2002 | 580 |
| 2003 | 562 |
| 2004 | 618 |
| 2005 | 660 |
| 2006 | 800 |
| 2007 | 940 |
| 2008 | 1,074 |
| 2009 | 1,388 |
| 2010 | 1,632 |
| 2011 | 2,117 |
| 2012 | 2,503 |
| 2013 | 3,417 |
| 2014 | 2,939 |
| 2015 | 3,200 |
| 2016 | 3,425 |
| 2017 | 3,352 |
| 2018 | 3,531 |
| 2019 | 3,576 |
| 2020 | 3,653 |
| 2021 | 3,926 |
| 2022 | 4,045 |
| 2023 | 4,115 |
| 2024 | 4,124 |
Silas through the decades
- Silas peaked in 2024, when 4,124 babies were named Silas in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Silas has risen 111% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Silas currently ranks #81 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Si
Variants & spellings
Silvanus