Fun Facts About the Name Silver
- More than 2 thousand babies named Silver: U.S. records list 2,277 babies given the name Silver from 1880 through 2025. Even 528 boys received the name Silver - about 1 boy for every 3 girls.
What Does the Name Silver Mean?
Silver is an English word name taken from the name of the metal. It goes back to Old English seolfor, also written siolfor, from the reconstructed Proto-Germanic *silubrą. The same Germanic word lies behind Old Norse silfr, Old High German silbar, Gothic silubr, and the modern German Silber, Dutch zilver, and Swedish silver.
The word's deeper origin is not settled. Latin argentum and Greek árgyros, the inherited words for silver in those languages, are unrelated to it. Because the Germanic form does not fit regular Indo-European patterns, it is usually thought to be a borrowing from a non-Indo-European language, but no source language has been agreed on. Comparisons have been drawn with Basque zilar ("silver") and with other Mediterranean words, and none of these proposals is firmly established.
Names such as Silvio, Silvia, and Silas look similar but come from Latin silva ("woods") or from other roots, not from the word for silver. In heraldry the metal is called argent, and in older English "silver" also stood for coins and money; these are later associations built on the literal sense of the metal, not part of the name's etymology.
Silver Name History & Origins
Silver is recorded as an English surname with more than one possible origin: as an occupational name for a silversmith, as a nickname for someone with silver-gray hair or a notably pale complexion, or as a local name from a place associated with silver. It also appears as an anglicized form of Ashkenazi surnames such as Yiddish Zilber and German Silber, both of which mean "silver."
As a given name, Silver belongs to the English category of word names drawn from metals, gems, and materials, alongside Pearl, Ruby, Opal, and Goldie. Names of this type have been used in the English-speaking world, though never commonly, and Silver is given to both boys and girls. It is far less frequent as a first name than as a surname.
Well-known uses of the word are mostly not personal names. Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island (1883) gave the surname Silver to the pirate Long John Silver; Arthur Conan Doyle's story "Silver Blaze" (1892) named a racehorse; and the Lone Ranger's horse, introduced in American radio in the 1930s, is called Silver. These are literary and popular-culture uses of the word as a surname or an animal's name rather than evidence of how the given name developed.
How Popular is the Name Silver?
Silver recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2023. Its best rank was #772 in 1896.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,380 | 46 | 0.0029% |
| 2024 | #3,368 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 2023 | #3,041 | 55 | 0.0034% |
| 2022 | #3,755 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 2021 | #3,383 | 47 | 0.0029% |
| 2020 | #3,900 | 37 | 0.0023% |
| 2019 | #3,161 | 51 | 0.0030% |
| 2018 | #3,994 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 2017 | #3,473 | 45 | 0.0026% |
| 2016 | #3,219 | 51 | 0.0029% |
| 2015 | #3,751 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 2014 | #4,169 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 2013 | #4,230 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 2012 | #3,841 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 2011 | #4,555 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2010 | #3,562 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 2009 | #4,467 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2008 | #7,032 | 19 | 0.0010% |
| 2007 | #11,517 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2006 | #8,182 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2005 | #7,450 | 16 | 0.0009% |
| 2004 | #7,787 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2003 | #7,937 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2002 | #4,742 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2001 | #6,278 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2000 | #6,179 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1999 | #5,629 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1998 | #4,352 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1997 | #3,154 | 38 | 0.0022% |
| 1996 | #4,293 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1995 | #7,455 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1994 | #4,996 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1993 | #4,800 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1992 | #4,832 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1991 | #3,798 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1990 | #3,804 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 1989 | #3,315 | 32 | 0.0017% |
| 1988 | #2,927 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1987 | #4,456 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 1986 | #4,517 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 1985 | #3,502 | 25 | 0.0015% |
| 1984 | #2,376 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1983 | #2,351 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 1982 | #4,316 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1981 | #7,320 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1980 | #5,501 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 1979 | #7,230 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 1978 | #5,910 | 11 | 0.0007% |
| 1977 | #7,463 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1975 | #7,846 | 7 | 0.0005% |
| 1974 | #8,583 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1972 | #5,415 | 10 | 0.0007% |
| 1970 | #6,958 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1968 | #6,902 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1967 | #7,694 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1966 | #5,719 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1965 | #6,424 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #4,954 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1962 | #6,468 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1960 | #4,406 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1959 | #4,975 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1958 | #6,901 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1957 | #3,464 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1956 | #5,251 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 1955 | #4,020 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1953 | #6,404 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1952 | #3,764 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1950 | #5,227 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1949 | #5,183 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1948 | #3,844 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1947 | #4,302 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1945 | #5,166 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1944 | #2,927 | 11 | 0.0008% |
| 1943 | #4,629 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,008 | 10 | 0.0008% |
| 1940 | #3,476 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1939 | #2,563 | 12 | 0.0011% |
| 1938 | #2,905 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1937 | #2,718 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1936 | #3,077 | 9 | 0.0009% |
| 1935 | #2,419 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1934 | #4,876 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1933 | #4,778 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1931 | #3,802 | 7 | 0.0007% |
| 1928 | #3,410 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1927 | #4,225 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1926 | #5,521 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1925 | #4,893 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1924 | #4,977 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1923 | #4,901 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #3,975 | 8 | 0.0006% |
| 1919 | #2,621 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #3,810 | 8 | 0.0007% |
| 1917 | #5,227 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1915 | #3,392 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #5,171 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2024 | #4,530 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2023 | #5,035 | 20 | 0.0012% |
| 2022 | #5,399 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2021 | #5,301 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2020 | #5,007 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #7,562 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2018 | #6,291 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2017 | #6,614 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #7,078 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #8,627 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2014 | #5,679 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #5,358 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2012 | #12,060 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2011 | #8,659 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #11,982 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2008 | #9,732 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #8,814 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 2006 | #6,401 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2005 | #8,966 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #6,195 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2002 | #6,463 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2001 | #5,623 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2000 | #7,314 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #9,733 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #6,539 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1994 | #8,654 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #7,512 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #8,297 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #9,428 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #9,044 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1987 | #6,826 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #5,438 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1977 | #5,743 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1975 | #5,365 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1973 | #5,001 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1969 | #4,341 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1954 | #4,298 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1953 | #3,750 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1950 | #4,132 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1948 | #3,618 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1942 | #3,977 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1941 | #3,942 | 5 | 0.0004% |
| 1939 | #3,917 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1937 | #3,946 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1934 | #2,933 | 8 | 0.0008% |
| 1933 | #4,089 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1932 | #3,724 | 6 | 0.0006% |
| 1930 | #4,471 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1926 | #3,111 | 9 | 0.0008% |
| 1924 | #3,818 | 7 | 0.0006% |
| 1923 | #4,179 | 6 | 0.0005% |
| 1921 | #2,779 | 11 | 0.0010% |
| 1920 | #4,889 | 5 | 0.0005% |
| 1915 | #3,039 | 8 | 0.0009% |
| 1913 | #2,475 | 7 | 0.0014% |
| 1911 | #1,964 | 5 | 0.0022% |
| 1896 | #772 | 10 | 0.0084% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Silver Shapes Your Personality and Life?
You are spiritually intense and can sting or charm. Your name brings love and new starts into life and attracts money. In business, you are the creator and promoter of original ideas and usually enjoy considerable financial success. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Silver's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Silver's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.