Silas
Meaning
biblical name, probably a short form of Silvanus; its deeper origin is uncertain
Goes by Si
The story
Silas is the New Testament companion of Paul, probably a short form of Silvanus, the name Paul uses for him in his letters. Scholars also allow a possible path linking the Greek and Latin forms to the Hebrew Saul through Aramaic, so the deeper origin is not settled. The common forest meaning comes from resemblance to Latin silva, but it should not replace the documented uncertainty. English Protestants adopted Silas after the Reformation, and George Eliot placed it at the center of Silas Marner in 1861. The US curve begins with a modest early presence, falls toward the floor through much of the middle twentieth century, then returns in the 2000s, rises sharply in the 2010s, and reaches its highest point in the 2020s. Silas is an old biblical and literary name experiencing a genuine modern revival, with a stronger story than the folk forest gloss.
Popularity, 1890–2024
Shape drawn from US Social Security baby-name records. Silas peaked in the 2020s.
Popularity in Brazil
33,856 people · the #754 first name in Brazil · about 1 in 5,988 · median age 32
Among people named Silas living in Brazil at the 2022 census, more were born in the 1990s than in any other decade.
The census also counted 1,097 born between 2020 and August 2022, too recent a span to chart.
Source: IBGE, Censo Demográfico 2022
When you meet Silas
Most people given the name Silas in the United States are children or teenagers today. The name belongs to this generation.
Estimated from US Social Security birth registrations and typical lifespans; a rough guide, not a rule.
The Silas deep dive
Whether you’re naming a baby or exploring your own name’s history, this is a personal letter, not a list: where Silas truly comes from, how it traveled, and what a century of records reveals. If you have grown a tree on nametree, it also considers how Silas fits with your family’s names and surname.
Keep exploring
Names like Silas · Nicknames for Silas · Middle names for Silas
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