Silus
A masculine name of unknown origin, potentially related to Latin silva meaning "woods".
Name Census estimates that about 218 living Americans carry the first name Silus. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Silus today is around 12 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Silus births was 2013 (19 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Silus. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Silus with official rankings and popularity over time.
People living today
218
~ 1 in 1,572,268 Americans
Peak year
2013
19 babies that year
Average age
12
years old
2024 SSA rank
#8,843
Tracked since 2005
Popularity
Silus: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Silus from the 2000s through to the 2020s, spanning 3 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2010s, with 137 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 2010s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Silus by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Silus during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Silus
The given name Silus has its origins rooted in ancient Roman culture, emerging during the classical era of the Roman Republic and the subsequent Roman Empire. This moniker is derived from the Latin word "silva," which translates to "wood" or "forest," indicating a potential connection to nature or rurality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Silus can be found in the writings of the ancient Roman historian Livy, who documented the exploits of a Roman consul named Publius Silus during the Second Punic War against Carthage in the 3rd century BC. This historical figure played a pivotal role in the military campaigns against Hannibal, showcasing the significance of the name within Roman society.
The name Silus also made an appearance in various ancient Roman inscriptions and records, indicating its prevalence among the Roman populace. Notably, a Roman senator named Quintus Silus is mentioned in the writings of the renowned Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero, further solidifying the name's presence in the upper echelons of Roman society.
Throughout the centuries, several notable individuals have borne the name Silus. One such figure was Silus Italicus, a Roman poet and contemporary of the famous writer Martial, who lived during the 1st century AD. His epic poem "Punica" chronicled the events of the Second Punic War, providing a literary testament to the enduring significance of this conflict in Roman history.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Silus Avitus, a Roman nobleman and politician who served as a consul in the year 165 AD. His name is etched in the annals of Roman history, reflecting the continued use of the moniker among the elite classes of the Roman Empire.
During the Middle Ages, the name Silus resurfaced in various regions influenced by Roman culture. One notable figure was Silus of Lucca, an Italian scholar and bishop who lived in the 11th century. His contributions to religious and intellectual discourse exemplified the enduring legacy of the name across different eras and contexts.
While the name Silus may have fallen out of widespread use in more recent times, its rich historical lineage and deep-rooted connections to ancient Roman culture and literature serve as a testament to the enduring impact of this moniker on the tapestry of human civilization.
People
Silus + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Silus as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with S
Other first names starting with S with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Silus: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Silus?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 218 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Silus going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 1,572,268 US residents.
Is Silus a common name?
We classify Silus as "Very Rare". It ranks above 75.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 220 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Silus most popular?
The single biggest year for Silus was 2013, when 19 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Silus is about 12 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Silus in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Silus a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Silus in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Silus still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Silus in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Silus can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Silus as a first name?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.