Meaning & Origin
A male given name from Latin used in English since the sixteenth century.
Sylvester is a boy's and girl's baby name of Latin origin, from the Latin silvester, meaning 'of the forest, woodland.' Two popes named Sylvester are honored as saints — Saint Sylvester I, who served during Constantine's reign, gave his name to New Year's Eve (Silvesterabend) in many European countries.
With over 43,000 U.S. births, Sylvester has enjoyed waves of pop culture attention — from Sylvester Stallone's Rocky to the beloved cartoon cat Sylvester. Its forest meaning and papal history give it real depth beneath the cultural familiarity.