How old is someone named Sylvia?
The average Sylvia is 59 years old.
Half of all living Sylvias are between 47 and 75.
When was Sylvia popular?
Few names are as steady as Sylvia. It peaked in 1937, but babies have been named Sylvia every year since records began, and 1,017 were in 2025.
Popular names of 1937 · The most popular names of the 1930s →
Show the numbers by decade
| Born in | Babies born | Alive today |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 5,570 | 0 |
| 1910s | 25,729 | 0 |
| 1920s | 26,965 | 420 |
| 1930s | 33,175 | 7,900 |
| 1940s | 37,422 | 21,000 |
| 1950s | 39,656 | 31,000 |
| 1960s | 28,750 | 25,000 |
| 1970s | 12,682 | 12,000 |
| 1980s | 9,401 | 9,100 |
| 1990s | 6,400 | 6,300 |
| 2000s | 5,440 | 5,400 |
| 2010s | 6,046 | 6,000 |
| 2020s | 4,608 | 4,600 |
How many Sylvias are still alive?
About 130,000 Sylvias are alive in the US today. That's 52% of the roughly 250,000 babies named Sylvia since 1880.
Roughly half of all Sylvias ever born are still living.
What generation is the name Sylvia?
About two in five living Sylvias are Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964.
Is Sylvia an old name?
Yes. Sylvia is older than 88 in 100 names on AgeByName.
Looking ahead: if babies keep getting the name at today's pace, the typical Sylvia will be 48 in 2056, so its average age will actually fall, as the youngest Sylvias make up more of the total.
Is Sylvia a boy or girl name?
Almost entirely girls: 99.7% of living Sylvias are women.
Names the same age as Sylvia
NAME TWIN
Sylvia's name twin is Morris. Of all 3,713 names on AgeByName, Morris's age curve is the closest match to Sylvia's: 94% alike.
Other spellings: Silvia (40)
Compare: Silvia vs. Sylvia
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Questions about the name Sylvia
How old is the average Sylvia?
The average Sylvia in the US is 59 years old. The median is 65, so half are older and half younger.
How many people are named Sylvia?
About 130,000 Sylvias are alive in the US today, out of roughly 250,000 babies given the name since 1880.
When was the name Sylvia most popular?
In 1937, when about 4,400 baby girls were named Sylvia.
Is Sylvia a Boomer name?
Partly. Baby Boomers are the largest group, about 44% of living Sylvias, but the name spans several generations.
Estimates from Social Security Administration baby-name records (births 1880–2025) and SSA cohort life tables (2026 Trustees Report). Updated each spring. How we calculate this