Meaning: Its source is a Latin expression meaning "Woods."

Nicknames: Silver and Vesta

Narrative: Rhea Silvia was an ancient nature goddess, mother to the twin founders of Rome, Romulus and Remus.

Shakespeare used the name Silvia for the love interest in his play Two Gentlemen of Verona, probably intending to give the impression of a typical Italian girl. However, almost everything the Bard touched turned to English, and it has been regarded as a solidly English name ever since.

While the Silvia spelling is certainly more ancient, Sylvia has been preferred for the last two centuries.