Boy name · Latin
Silas
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: probably short for Silvanus, of the woodsSilas is a boy's name that comes from Latin and means "probably short for Silvanus, of the woods". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Probably short for Silvanus, of the woods
- Origin
- Latin
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #71 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Silas
As a boy's name, Silas comes from Latin and means "probably short for Silvanus, of the woods". It is used in English.
Meaning checked against Behind the Name. How we research names
Silas on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Silas on 7 lists.
“From Silvanus, tied to the Latin word for forest”
From Redneck names for boys, classic country boy names
“Probably a short form of Latin Silvanus. Companion of Paul, Acts 15”
From Biblical names, popular Bible names with debated meanings
“From Latin Silvanus, meaning of the forest”
From Boy cat names, unique male cat names
“Paul's travel companion, with a quiet, sturdy sound”
From Priest names, cool priest names
“Of the forest; Latin, a missionary friend of Paul”
From Cute boy names, cute biblical boy names
“A quiet, old-fashioned name for a quiet spider”
From Spider names, good spider names
“Of the forest; Latin. Short for Silvanus; Paul's companion in the Bible”
From Old man names, grandpa names coming back for babies
How popular is Silas?
- US rank in 2025
- #71
- 4,639 babies, 2,716 per million boys
- Best rank
- #71 in 2025
- 4,639 babies that year
- Babies since 1880
- At least 75,465
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 708 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 553 per million |
| 1900s | 375 per million |
| 1910s | 233 per million |
| 1920s | 184 per million |
| 1930s | 140 per million |
| 1940s | 86 per million |
| 1950s | 52 per million |
| 1960s | 39 per million |
| 1970s | 56 per million |
| 1980s | 64 per million |
| 1990s | 98 per million |
| 2000s | 366 per million |
| 2010s | 1,576 per million |
| 2020s | 2,361 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #119 | #120 | #110 | #105 | #100 | #91 | #87 | #80 | #81 | #71 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Names spelled like Silas
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- SavaşWar, battle (Turkish, boy)
- SimãoHe has heard (Hebrew, boy)
- SinanSpearhead (Arabic, boy)
- SirajLamp, light (Arabic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- AlinaShort form of Adelina, Albina and names ending in -alina (Germanic, girl)
- ElenaForm of Helen, probably from Greek torch (Greek, girl)
- LiamShort for William, will helmet (Germanic, boy)
- LilianaLatinate form of Lillian, probably from Elizabeth or Lily (English, girl)
- MilanGracious, dear; a short form of Slavic Mil- names (Slavic, unisex)
- AaronProbably Egyptian, meaning unknown; Hebrew theories say exalted (Hebrew, boy)
- BruceProbably from Brix in Normandy (French, boy)
- EllaShort form of names such as Elisabeth and Eleonore (Germanic, girl)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- LeahProbably weary, grieved (Hebrew, girl)
Middle names for Silas
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a longer length, so the full name flows.
- AlistairDefender of men (Greek, boy)
- ArnoldEagle power (Germanic, boy)
- AugustusGreat, venerable (Latin, boy)
- ChristopherBearer of Christ (Greek, boy)
- EmmettWhole, universal (Germanic, boy)
- GeraldPower of the spear (Germanic, boy)
- HeathMoorland (English, boy)
- LaurenceFrom Laurentum, a Roman town (Latin, boy)
More boy names from Latin
Silas: common questions
What does the name Silas mean?
Silas comes from Latin and means "probably short for Silvanus, of the woods". Checked against Behind the Name.
Is Silas a boy or girl name?
Silas is mainly a boy's name. In 2025, 7 girls and 4,639 boys in the US were named Silas, according to Social Security Administration data.
Where does the name Silas come from?
Silas comes from Latin and means "probably short for Silvanus, of the woods". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Silas?
Silas ranked #71 in the US in 2025, with 4,639 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What names are similar to Silas?
Names spelled like Silas include Savaş, Simão, Sinan and Siraj.
What middle names go with Silas?
Middle names that flow well with Silas include Alistair, Arnold, Augustus, Christopher and Emmett. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.