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