Silas Name Meaning

If you're looking for an equally cool and strong name for your baby boy, you can't go wrong with Silas.

A well-known Greek and Latin name, Silas means "wood" or "forest." Sylvanus was the Roman god of the countryside and his name was initially bestowed on people who lived in wooded areas or worked with wood.

In the New Testament, St. Silas was a leading member of the early Christian community who accompanied Paul on his second missionary journey.

How Popular Is the Name Silas?

Silas has been a top 1,000 name for boys in the US since 1900, the year that the Social Security Administration began annually ranking names by popularity. But it took 120 years for the name to break into the top 100 in 2020, and its popularity has only continued to increase from there.

As of 2023, Silas was the No. 81 most popular boy's name in the US. All told, 4,070 babies were named Silas that year, representing 0.222% of total male births in 2023.

Name Variations

The following are variations of the name Silas:

• Saul (Hebrew)
• Silvanus (Latin)
• Sylvanus (Latin)

Similar Names

Similar sounding names to Silas include:

• Atlas
• Caleb
• Cyrus
• Dante
• Linus
• Simon
• Tyrus
• Wallace

Other names starting with "S" include:

• Samuel
• Santiago
• Santino
• Saul
• Sawyer
• Sebastian
• Sergio
• Seth
• Shane
• Spencer
• Stephen
• Sullivan

Suggested Sibling Names

Looking for a sibling name for Silas? Here are some popular options:

• Atticus
• Anya
• Beatrice
• Jude
• Juliette
• Levi
• Milo
• Penelope

Famous People Named Silas

Notable people named Silas include actors, athletes, and writers. The name and its variations have also popped up on the big and small screens.

Famous Silases

• Silas Randall Timberlake, Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel's oldest son
• Silas Weir Mitchell, American actor, known for starring as Charles "Haywire" Patoshik in the Fox television series Prison Break
• Silas Dwane House, American writer, music journalist, and columnist
• Silas Katompa Mvumpa, Congolese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart
• Silas Lima Malafaia, Brazilian Pentecostal pastor, author, and televangelist

Fictional Silases

• Silas Botwin, played by Hunter Parrish in the Showtime series Weeds (2005–2012)
• Silas Adams, played by Titus Welliver in the HBO series Deadwood (2004–2006)
• Silas, the antagonist played by Paul Bettany in the film The Da Vinci Code (2006)