| Silas | Vincent | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Of the forest | Conquering |
| Origin | Latin | Latin |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | SY-lus | VIN-sent |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (4,639) | 1962 (6,159) |
| In 2025 | 4,639 | 3,267 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Steady |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Silas | Vincent |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 24,464 | 18,653 |
| 2010s | 29,629 | 36,839 |
| 2000s | 7,308 | 35,274 |
| 1990s | 1,907 | 36,715 |
| 1980s | 1,175 | 32,054 |
| 1970s | 922 | 27,640 |
| 1960s | 753 | 49,478 |
| 1950s | 1,050 | 35,351 |
| 1940s | 1,276 | 23,897 |
| 1930s | 1,482 | 19,407 |
| 1920s | 2,031 | 26,237 |
| 1910s | 1,553 | 18,285 |
| 1900s | 509 | 1,954 |
| 1890s | 631 | 1,027 |
| 1880s | 775 | 485 |
Silas is generally linked to the Latin Silvanus, “of the forest” or “wood,” and appears in the New Testament as a companion of Paul.
From the Latin vincens, “conquering.” Saint Vincent and the painter Van Gogh share it.
Silas is more popular than Vincent today: about 4,639 US babies were given the name Silas in 2025, compared with 3,267 named Vincent.
Silas means Of the forest (Latin origin), while Vincent means Conquering (Latin origin).
In US records, Silas first appears in 1880 and Vincent in 1880, so Silas has the longer recorded history.