Thoughts on Sylvia, or even Sylvie

NerdyLucy · April 2016

I'm just looking for general thoughts on Sylvia, or even Sylvie.

I know that Sylvia probably seems a little dusty to some, but I think it's usable. Heck, in 1985, the year Golden Girls began, Sophia was ranked 236, and was given to eldest character, and now it's in the top 5. I'm not saying that Sylvia is the new Sophia, but I am saying that the qualities I like in Sophia are the same I like in Sylvia, except I like Sylvia more.

And what about Sylvie? Is Sylvie fresher? Or is it better as a nickname for Sylvia?

Also, do you prefer the spelling Sylvia or Silvia?

According to BehindTheName, Sylvia is a variant of Silvia, which is the feminine form of Silvius, but that Sylvia has been the most common spelling in English since the 19th century.

https://www.behindthename.com/name/sylvia

That definitely seems to be true in America since, according to the SSA, Silvia hasn't even been in the top 1000 since 2995, and even then it was 990.

Sylvia was 493 in 2014.

ashleyandely · April 2016

I prefer the spelling Sylvia. Sylvia as the given name and Sylvie as a nickname. I love the name, it's classic and beautiful. Definitely similar to Sophia in some ways but not as common.

Bringmemylongswordho · April 2016

I like Sylvia, and I prefer it to Sylvie.

bbiutmcph · April 2016

It's nms but prefer Sylvia to Sylvie and it can be used as a nn. It's oddly popular in my area I know three little girls with the name

keri0426 · April 2016

I like Sylvia, not common. I think spelling it Silvia looks like saliva (just my first thought when I read it).

NerdyLucy · April 2016

Now that you mention it, I can see that.

Eta: I meant to quote Keri.

jenna8984 · April 2016

There's a big Polish community where I live so I actually know a lot of girls my age named Sylvia. I have always like it.

Eko14 · April 2016

Sylvia is on our short list. Love it. Sylvie is a great nickname. Very common in the French community.

kmvisioli · April 2016

keri0426 said:

I like Sylvia, not common. I think spelling it Silvia looks like saliva (just my first thought when I read it).

Exactly what I thought, too. Sylvia is good, Sylvie is fine but sounds a little pretentious to me unless you are French.

NerdyLucy · April 2016

kmvisioli said:

keri0426 said:

I like Sylvia, not common. I think spelling it Silvia looks like saliva (just my first thought when I read it).

Exactly what I thought, too. Sylvia is good, Sylvie is fine but sounds a little pretentious to me unless you are French.

Do you feel like Sylvie is pretentious just as a formal name?

Or as a nickname to Sylvia as well?

Zimger · April 2016

I really like Sylvia. It was in the top three for us but we had an Eliot instead.

penelope4612 · April 2016

I like the spelling Sylvia with Sylvie as a NN. I knew a Sylvie once and she was anything but pretentious so I don't have that association.

kmvisioli · April 2016

NerdyLucy said:

kmvisioli said:

keri0426 said:

I like Sylvia, not common. I think spelling it Silvia looks like saliva (just my first thought when I read it).

Exactly what I thought, too. Sylvia is good, Sylvie is fine but sounds a little pretentious to me unless you are French.

Do you feel like Sylvie is pretentious just as a formal name?

Or as a nickname to Sylvia as well?

Just as a formal name, I think because it seems like trying to put a "fancier" European name on an American kid. But I realize this is kind of a silly bias.

Hdhtk4 · April 2016

I love Sylvia! And Sylvie as a nickname is adorable.

WildWhat · April 2016

Sylvia Plath is maybe one of my favorite writers of all time. I love the name, but could never bring myself
to use it for a daughter because of Plath's tragic life.

MamaKat13 · April 2016

Sylvie has been one of my very favorite names for as long as I can remember! Might be best as a nickname though, and I definitely prefer the spelling Sylvia.

NerdyLucy · April 2016

kmvisioli said:

NerdyLucy said:

kmvisioli said:

keri0426 said:

I like Sylvia, not common. I think spelling it Silvia looks like saliva (just my first thought when I read it).

Exactly what I thought, too. Sylvia is good, Sylvie is fine but sounds a little pretentious to me unless you are French.

Do you feel like Sylvie is pretentious just as a formal name?

Or as a nickname to Sylvia as well?

Just as a formal name, I think because it seems like trying to put a "fancier" European name on an American kid. But I realize this is kind of a silly bias.

Gotcha. I think I prefer Sylvie as a nickname anyway.

NerdyLucy · April 2016

WildWhat said:

Sylvia Plath is maybe one of my favorite writers of all time. I love the name, but could never bring myself
to use it for a daughter because of Plath's tragic life.

I've considered that.

Plath isn't the only association I have with Sylvia personally though, which is probably why I'm not as bothered.

That's a very fair point to make though. Thank you.

Eko14 · April 2016

NerdyLucy said:

WildWhat said:

Sylvia Plath is maybe one of my favorite writers of all time. I love the name, but could never bring myself
to use it for a daughter because of Plath's tragic life.

I've considered that.

Plath isn't the only association I have with Sylvia personally though, which is probably why I'm not as bothered.

That's a very fair point to make though. Thank you.

At least she made her kids a snack before sticking her head in the oven. That speaks volumes about the kind of woman she was even if she lost a battle with mental illness.

joshua+rebecca11 · April 2016

Sylvie would be a really cute nickname for Sylvia, which it has a very nice, classic feel to it without being overused.
I have never even heard of Sylvia Plath, so no association there. The only Sylvia I know is a very graceful older lady.
Personallu, I like Sylvia much better than Silvia...spelled the second way seems to be setting your daughter up for a lifetime of misspellings!

klkrieg · April 2016

I love Sylvia. My daughter's name is Vera, so I obviously love old fashioned names. I tried to get my husband to agree to Sylvia, but he was not on board. I think Sylvia is prettier than Sylvie.

gonetothesea · April 2016

I love Sylvia with the nn Sylvie!

NerdyLucy · April 2016

joshua+rebecca11 said:

Sylvie would be a really cute nickname for Sylvia, which it has a very nice, classic feel to it without being overused.
I have never even heard of Sylvia Plath, so no association there. The only Sylvia I know is a very graceful older lady.
Personallu, I like Sylvia much better than Silvia...spelled the second way seems to be setting your daughter up for a lifetime of misspellings!

Yes, classic without being overused.

When we named our son Peter, that was part of the appeal. It's classic, recognizable, easy to spell, but not overused on children right now.

For what it's worth, I'm not even pregnant right now. We're considering having another child in the next couple of years, and we never really discussed girl names, so I'm mostly just having fun.

daystardreams · April 2016

I love Sylvia. It's at the top of our list for pretty much the exact same reasons that you listed. I dislike the spelling Silvia because of saliva. I think Sylvie is better as a nn.

kknoll59 · April 2016

I love Sylvie. I used to live in France and always found it to be a cute but smart, classy name. I also love Sylvia but I feel you. Everytime I've mentioned that name people look at me like I've just said Gladys, Betty or Dorothty.

virginiaunicorn11 · April 2016

Looks like I'm in the minority, but I love Sylvie - it was one of two names on my shortlist for a girl. Sylvia felt too old fashioned to me personally, but I only have positive associations with the name (and Plath... But it's a common enough name otherwise that she isn't my only association)