| Martin | Silas | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of Mars / warlike | Of the forest |
| Origin | latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | MAR-tin | SY-lus |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 1963 (6,073) | 2025 (4,639) |
| In 2025 | 1,009 | 4,639 |
| Trend | Declining | Near its peak |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Martin | Silas |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 6,645 | 24,464 |
| 2010s | 13,356 | 29,629 |
| 2000s | 18,762 | 7,308 |
| 1990s | 25,331 | 1,907 |
| 1980s | 23,226 | 1,175 |
| 1970s | 24,267 | 922 |
| 1960s | 49,116 | 753 |
| 1950s | 50,994 | 1,050 |
| 1940s | 31,402 | 1,276 |
| 1930s | 21,927 | 1,482 |
| 1920s | 24,243 | 2,031 |
| 1910s | 16,097 | 1,553 |
| 1900s | 3,346 | 509 |
| 1890s | 3,254 | 631 |
| 1880s | 3,595 | 775 |
From Latin Martinus, a derivative of Mars, the Roman god of war, so carrying a 'warlike' sense. Popularized by the soldier-saint Martin of Tours.
Silas is generally linked to the Latin Silvanus, “of the forest” or “wood,” and appears in the New Testament as a companion of Paul.
Silas is more popular than Martin today: about 4,639 US babies were given the name Silas in 2025, compared with 1,009 named Martin.
Martin means Of Mars / warlike (latin origin), while Silas means Of the forest (Latin origin).
In US records, Martin first appears in 1880 and Silas in 1880, so Martin has the longer recorded history.