Silvia () is a female given name of

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

origin, with a male equivalent Silvio and English-language cognate Sylvia. The name originates from the

word for forest, ''Silva'', and its meaning is "spirit of the wood"; the mythological god of the forest was associated with the figure of Silvanus. Silvia is also a surname. In

Roman mythology Roman mythology is the body of myths of ancient Rome as represented in the literature and visual arts of the Romans. One of a wide variety of genres of Roman folklore, ''Roman mythology'' may also refer to the modern study of these representat ...

, Silvia is the goddess of the forest while

Rhea Silvia Rhea (or Rea) Silvia (), also known as Ilia (as well as other names) was the mythical mother of the twins Romulus and Remus, who founded the city of Rome. Her story is told in the first book of ''Ab Urbe Condita Libri'' of Livy and in Cassius D ...

was the mother of

Romulus and Remus In Roman mythology, Romulus and Remus (, ) are twin brothers whose story tells of the events that led to the founding of the city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom by Romulus, following his fratricide of Remus. The image of a she-wolf suckling the ...

. Silvia is also the name of one of the female

innamorati ''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...

of the

commedia dell'arte (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

and is a character of the ''

Aminta ''Aminta'' is a play written by Torquato Tasso in 1573, represented during a garden party at the court of Ferrara. Both the actors and the public were noble persons living at the Court, who could understand subtle allusions the poet made to tha ...

'' written by

Torquato Tasso Torquato Tasso ( , also , ; 11 March 154425 April 1595) was an Italian poet of the 16th century, known for his 1591 poem ''Gerusalemme liberata'' (Jerusalem Delivered), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between ...

People with the given name

Queen Silvia of Sweden Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

(born 1943), spouse of King Carl XVI Gustaf *

Saint Silvia Silvia, or Sylvia, (c. 515 – c. 592) was the mother of Gregory the Great. She is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church, which names her a patroness of pregnant women. Life Little biographical information abo ...

, Italian saint of the 6th century *

Silvia Airik-Priuhka Silvia Airik-Priuhka (25 January 1926 Tallinn – 11 February 2014 Stockholm) was an Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland ...

, Estonian writer and poetry translator *

Silvia Bächli Silvia Bächli (born 1956) is a Swiss visual artist, photographer, and educator. She works primarily in painting and drawing. She has taught art at the Academy of Fine Arts, Karlsruhe () since 1993. Biography Silvia Bächli was born on 16 March ...

(born 1956), Swiss visual artist *

Silvia Barbescu Silvia Barbescu (born 1961) is a Romanian multi-disciplinary artist who has been developing her career in Mexico since 2000, after being invited to the country by the Mexican government. Preferring to work with mixed media and mixed techniques, wi ...

, Romanian painter *

Silvia Bellot Silvia Bellot (born 1985/1986) is a Spanish motorsport official who serves as a steward at Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA)-sanctioned events, the assistant manager of the Carlin Motorsport IndyCar Series team and was the FIA Ra ...

, Spanish motor racing official *

Silvia Braslavsky Silvia Elsa Braslavsky (born April 5, 1942 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine chemist. She is the daughter of educationist and biochemist Lázaro Braslavsky, and the sister of Cecilia Braslavsky, educationist and erstwhile director of the Internat ...

, Argentinian chemist *

Silvia Cambir Silvia Cambir (24 January 1924 – 2007) was a Romanian Expressionist painter, portraitist, and book illustrator. Born in Hanu Conachi, Galați County, Cambir studied at the Faculty of Literature and Philosophy of the University of Bucharest, ...

, Romanian painter *

Silvia Cartwright Dame Silvia Rose Cartwright (née Poulter; born 7 November 1943) is a New Zealand jurist who served as the 18th Governor-General of New Zealand, from 2001 to 2006. She was the second woman to hold the office, after Dame Catherine Tizard. Early ...

, New Zealand Viceroy, jurist *

Silvia Ciornei Silvia Ciornei (born 27 August 1970 in Bucharest) is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. She is a member of the Conservative Party, part of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe, and became an MEP on 1 January 2 ...

, Romanian politician *

Silvia Fuselli Silvia Fuselli (born in Cecina, July 1, 1981) is an Italian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Fimauto Valpolicella in Serie A. She has also played for Agliana, Torino, Torres, Verona and Brescia, and she has been a member of the It ...

, Italian footballer *

Silvia Heubach Silvia Heubach is a German-American mathematician specializing in enumerative combinatorics, combinatorial game theory, and bioinformatics. She is a professor of mathematics at California State University, Los Angeles. Education and career Heubach ...

, German-American mathematician *

Silvia Intxaurrondo Silvia Intxaurrondo Alcaine (born 24 October 1979) is a Spanish journalist who works for the state broadcaster Televisión Española as a newscaster on the weekday ''La hora de La 1'' bulletins on La 1. She had previously worked for the televisi ...

, Spanish journalist *

Silvia Laidla Silvia Laidla (20 October 1927 – 3 May 2012) was an Estonian stage, television and film actress whose career spanned nearly six decades. Primarily a stage actress, she also appeared in several Estonian television series and motion pictures. E ...

, Estonian actress *

Sílvia Pérez Cruz Sílvia Pérez Cruz (born 15 February 1983) is a Spanish singer. In 2012, she recorded her first solo album, ''11 de Novembre'', which was nominated for album of the year in both Spain and France. A song performed by her, "No Te Puedo Encontrar" ...

, Spanish singer *

Silvia Puppo Gastélum Silvia Puppo Gastélum (born 23 November 1956) is a Mexican politician from the Party of the Democratic Revolution. From 2010 to 2012 she served as Deputy of the LXI Legislature of the Mexican Congress representing Baja California Sur Baja Cal ...

, Mexican politician *

Silvia Madetzky Silvia Madetzky (born 24 June 1962) is a German former discus thrower who competed for East Germany. Her personal best for the event is , which ranks her within the all-time top thirty for the event, as of 2016. Despite this, her highest ever seaso ...

, German female discus thrower *

Silvia Marcovici Silvia Marcovici (born 30 January 1952) is a Romanian classical violinist. Born in Bacău, Romania, to a Jewish family, she studied at the Conservatory in Bucharest. Her international debut was at the age of sixteen when she performed in The Ha ...

, Romanian violinist *

Silvia Sorina Munteanu Silvia-Sorina Munteanu (born in Ghioroc, Arad County) is a Romanian opera singer. Munteanu made her debut in 1996 in Georges Bizet's ''Carmen''. She has been a soloist at the Romanian National Opera, Timișoara, at the Romanian National Opera, ...

, Romanian singer *

Silvia Navarro Silvia Angélica Navarro Barva (born September 14, 1978) is a Mexican actress. She debuted as actress in 1997, in the lead role in the telenovela '' Perla''. Since then, she continued to work for Mexican TV network TV Azteca, and later for Te ...

, Mexican actress *

Silvia Njirić Silvia Njirić (born 9 July 1993) is a Croatian tennis player. Having already played in Fed Cup for Croatia, Njirić made semifinals at the 2010 French Open – Girls' singles, 2010 Junior French Open, losing to Elina Svitolina. She has won se ...

, Croatian tennis player *

Silva Oja Silva Oja (since 1986, Silvia Rahnel; born 17 January 1961) is an Estonian athletics competitor. She was born in Pärnu. In 1984 she graduated from Tallinn Pedagogical Institute's Faculty of Physical Education. She began athletics training in 196 ...

(born 1961), Estonian heptathlete *

Silvia Pinal Silvia Pinal Hidalgo (born 12 September 1931) is a Mexican actress. She began her career in the theater, venturing into cinema in 1949. Her film work and popularity in her native country led her to work in Europe (Spain and Italy). Pinal achiev ...

, Mexican actress *

Silvia Radu Silvia Elena Radu (born 30 June 1935 in Pătroaia-Vale) is a Romanian sculptor, potter, and painter. She graduated in 1960 from the Bucharest Academy of Fine Arts She is the wife the sculptor Vasile Gorduz. Her work is in the Tyler Collection ...

, Romanian sculptor * Silvia Rodgers (1928–2006), German-Jewish-British writer and political activist *

Silvia Saint Silvia Saint, born Silvie Tomčalová (born 12 February 1976) is a former Czech pornographic actress. In 1996 she was ''Penthouse'' Pet of the Year in the Czech edition of the magazine. She has appeared in over 300 pornographic movies. Early l ...

, Czech pornographic actress *

Silvia Seidel Silvia Seidel (23 September 1969 - 31 July 2012) was a German actress from Munich, who starred in the TV series ''Anna'' (1987), ''Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left'' (1993), and '' Sturm der Liebe'' (2007). She also starred in the films ...

, German actress *

Silvia Sommer Silvia Sommer (born 9 April 1944) is an Austrians, Austrian composer, pianist and music producer. Biography Silvia Sommer was born in Vienna, Austria, into a composing family. She began playing piano at three and composed her first piece at eleve ...

, Austrian composer, pianist and music producer *

Silvia Stroescu Silvia Alexandra Stroescu (born 8 May 1985 in Bucharest, Romania) is a Romanian artistic gymnast. She is an Olympic, world, and European gold medalist with the team. Early life and career She was one of the most successful junior gymnast of he ...

, Romanian gymnast *

Silvia Tcherassi Silvia Tcherassi (born 21 August 1965) is a Miami-based, fashion designer, born in Barranquilla, Atlantico, Colombia. Personal life and education Silvia Tcherassi was born on August 21, 1965 in Barranquilla, Colombia. She started her artistic ...

, Colombian fashion designer *

Silvia Adriana Țicău Silvia Adriana Țicău (born 14 November 1970 in Galaţi) is a Romanian politician and Member of the European Parliament. She is a member of the Social Democratic Party, part of the Party of European Socialists, and became an MEP on 1 January 200 ...

, Romanian politician *

Silvia Vasquez-Lavado Silvia Vasquez-Lavado (born 1974) is a Peruvian-American explorer, mountaineer, social entrepreneur and technologist. In June 2018, she became the first openly lesbian woman to complete the Seven Summits, the tallest mountain on each continent f ...

, Peruvian-American explorer and mountaineer

People with the surname

* Alan Silvia, American politician from Massachusetts *

Evelyn Silvia Evelyn Marie Silvia (February 8, 1948 – January 21, 2006) was an American mathematician specializing in functional analysis and particularly in starlike functions. She was a professor at the University of California, Davis, and as well as teachi ...

(1948–2006), American mathematician *

Stephen Silvia Stephen J. Silvia is a professor at American University's School of International Service and an affiliate professor in American University's Economics Department. He teaches international economics, international trade relations, and comparative ...

, American academic *

Tatiana Silva Tatiana Silva Braga Tavares (born 5 February 1985) is a Belgian model who was crowned Miss Belgium in 2005. She entered the pageant as Miss Brussels and represented Belgium at the Miss World contest in December 2005. Early life in Belgium Tati ...

, professional name of Tatiana Silva Braga Tavares (1985), Belgian model and beauty pageant winner

People with the given name

People with the surname

See also