Sylvester or Silvester is a name derived from the

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 ...

adjective In linguistics, an adjective (list of glossing abbreviations, abbreviated ) is a word that generally grammatical modifier, modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes its referent. Its semantic role is to change information given by the noun. Tra ...

''silvestris'' meaning "wooded" or "wild", which derives from the

noun A noun () is a word that generally functions as the name of a specific object or set of objects, such as living creatures, places, actions, qualities, states of existence, or ideas.Example nouns for: * Living creatures (including people, alive, d ...

''silva'' meaning "woodland".

Classical Latin Classical Latin is the form of Literary Latin recognized as a literary standard by writers of the late Roman Republic and early Roman Empire. It was used from 75 BC to the 3rd century AD, when it developed into Late Latin. In some later periods ...

spells this with ''i''. In Classical Latin, ''y'' represented a separate sound distinct from ''i'', not a native Latin sound but one used in transcriptions of foreign words. After the Classical period ''y'' was pronounced as ''i''. Spellings with ''Sylv-'' in place of ''Silv-'' date from after the Classical period.

Given name

* Sylvester of Marsico (c. 1100–1162), Count of Marsico in the Kingdom of Sicily *

Silvester Ashioya Silvester Ashioya (born 11 June 1948) is a Kenyan field hockey player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Mu ...

(born 1948), Kenyan hockey player *

Silvester Bolam Silvester Bolam (23 October 1905 – 27 April 1953) was a British newspaper editor. Born in Tynemouth, Northumberland, Bolam studied at the University of Durham's Armstrong College before joining the '' Newcastle Journal''. He then moved to wor ...

(1905–1953), British newspaper editor * Silvester Brito (1937–2018), American poet and academic *

Sylvester Croom Sylvester Croom Jr. (born September 25, 1954) is a retired American football coach. He was the head coach at Mississippi State University from 2004 to 2008, and the first African American head football coach in the Southeastern Conference. His ...

(born 1954), American football coach and former player *

Silvester Diggles Silvester Diggles (24 January 1817 – 21 March 1880) was an Australian artist and musician of British origin, as well as being a noted amateur ornithologist and entomologist. Biography Diggles was born in Liverpool, Lancashire and married Eliz ...

(1817–1880), Australian musician and ornithologist * Silvester Fernandes (born 1936), Kenyan hockey player *

Silvester Gardiner Dr. Silvester Gardiner (June 29, 1708 – August 8, 1786) was a physician, pharmaceutical merchant and land developer of Maine. He is known for founding the city of Gardiner. Early years He was born in South Kingstown, Rhode Island, the son of ...

(1708–1786), American physician etc. *

Silvester Goraseb Silvester Goraseb (born 7 September 1974) is a retired Namibian footballer. He competed for the Namibia national football team from 1996-2001, including the 1998 African Cup of Nations.Sylvester Graham Sylvester Graham (July 5, 1794 – September 11, 1851) was an American Presbyterian minister and dietary reformer known for his emphasis on vegetarianism, the temperance movement, and eating whole-grain bread. His preaching inspired the graha ...

(1794–1851), Presbyterian minister, father of graham crackers *

Silvester Harding Silvester Harding (also Sylvester) (25 July 1745 – 12 August 1809) was an English artist and publisher. Life Harding was born at Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, England, UK, on 25 July 1745. Placed when a child with an uncle in London, at ...

(1745–1809), English artist and publisher *

Silvester Horne Charles Silvester Horne (1865–1914) was a Congregationalist, Congregational minister, who additionally served as Liberal Party (UK), Liberal Member of parliament, MP for Ipswich (UK Parliament constituency), Ipswich, and was a noted orator. He ...

(1865–1914), Congregational minister * Sylvester James Jr. (1947–1988), also known as Sylvester, a singer and disco performer *

Silvester Johnson Silvester Johnson (October 15, 1813 – July 13, 1889) was a Kentucky merchant and a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives. Biography Early life and business ventures Johnson was born October 15, 1813, on his parents' farm near ...

(1813–1889), Kentucky merchant and politician * Silvester Knipfer (1939–2010), German sports shooter *

Sylvester Levay Sylvester Levay (originally Lévay Szilveszter, Serbian language, Serbian: Силвестер Леваи, ''Silvester Levai'') is a Hungarian people, Hungarian recording artist and composer, born in Yugoslavia (now Serbia). Life and career Levay ...

(born 1954), Hungarian musician * Sylvester McCoy (born 1943), Scottish actor *

Silvester Mirabal Silvestre Mirabal (1864–1939) was a farmer, stock raiser, and notable statesman. Mirabal over the course of his life would go on to become one of the most influential ranchers and statesman in the state of New Mexico. Mirabal was widely known ...

(1864–1939), American farmer and statesman *

Sylvester Mittee Sylvester "The Master Blaster" Mittee (born 29 October 1956) is a Saint Lucian-British boxer of the 1970s and 1980s. He fought as an amateur lightweight and a professional light welterweight/welterweight/ light middleweight, winning multiple c ...

(born 1956), Saint Lucian/British boxer of the 1970s and '80s *

Silvester Sabolčki Silvester Sabolčki (; 12 November 1979 – 30 May 2003) was a Croatian footballer who played as a winger. Playing for NK Varteks, Sabolčki established himself as one of the most talented Croatian footballers of his generation and signed a c ...

(1979–2003), Croatian footballer *

Silvester Sedborough Silvester Sedborough (1515/16-1551), of Porlock, Somerset, was an English politician. Family Sedborough was the eldest son of William Sedborough of Porlock and Joan, a sister and coheiress of Jerome Bratton of Porlock. Silvester Sedborough marri ...

(1515/16–1551), member of parliament *

Silvester Šereš Silvester Šereš (, ) (7 March 1918 – 20 January 2000) was a Yugoslav footballer of Hungarian ethnicity. Career Born in Temerin, he played with Temerin TC, Újvidéki AC, MTK Budapest, Partizan, Spartak Subotica, Vojvodina Vojvodina ( sr ...

(1918–2000), Hungarian-Yugoslav footballer *

Godfrey Silvester Shiundu Godfrey may refer to: People * Godfrey (name), a given name and surname * Godfrey (comedian), American comedian, actor Places In the United States * Godfrey, Georgia, an unincorporated community * Godfrey, Illinois, a village * Godfrey, Kansas, an ...

(born 1965), Kenyan clergyman *

Silvester Shkalla Silvester Shkalla (born 10 August 1995) is an Albanian professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Albanian club KS Kastrioti Krujë in the Albanian Superliga. Club career Early career Shkalla started his youth career at Shkëndija ...

(born 1995), Albanian footballer *

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...

(born 1946), American actor *Sylvester Stewart (born 1943), or Sly Stone, musician and record producer, best known as the frontman for Sly and the Family Stone *

Silvester Takač Silvester Takač ( Serbian ; born 8 November 1940) is a Serbian-Yugoslavian former football forward and manager. He was part of the Yugoslav squad that won gold at the 1960 Summer Olympics. Honours Manager OGC Nice * Coupe de France: 1997 ...

(born 1940), Serbian-Yugoslavian footballer and football manager *

Sylvester Terkay Sylvester Matthew Terkay (born December 4, 1970) is a retired American professional wrestler, actor,and mixed martial artist best known for his run in WWE. He has held NWA Zero-One's United States Championship twice and Ultimate Pro Wrestling's ...

(born 1970), American professional wrestler * John Silvester Varley (born 1956), English banker *

Silvester van der Water Silvester van der Water (born 30 September 1996) is a Dutch professional footballer who plays as a winger for club Cambuur. Club career Almere City In 2014, van der Water joined the Almere City academy from amateur side SDO Bussum where ...

(born 1996), Dutch footballer

Clergy

* Antipope Sylvester IV, a claimant from 1105 to 1111 *

Pope Sylvester I Pope Sylvester I (also Silvester, 285 – 31 December 335) was the bishop of Rome from 31 January 314 until his death. He filled the see of Rome at an important era in the history of the Western Church, yet very little is known of him. The acco ...

(died 335), Saint Sylvester * Pope Sylvester II (c. 946–1003) * Pope Sylvester III (died 1062 or 1063) *

Silvester de Everdon Silvester de Everdon (died 1254) was a medieval Bishop of Carlisle and Lord Chancellor of England. Life Everdon came from the village of Everdon, near Daventry in Northamptonshire, but other than the fact that he was related to a locally promin ...

(died 1254), bishop and Lord Chancellor *

Sylvester Gozzolini Silvestro Guzzolini (1177 – 26 November 1267) was an Italian Catholic priest and the founder of the Silvestrini. He served as a canon in Osimo but respectful rebukes of his bishop's inappropriate conduct led him to leave for a hermitage bef ...

(1177–1267), saint and founder of the Sylvestrines religious order * Silvester Jenks (1656–1714), English priest and theologian *

Silvester Petra Sancta Silvester Petra Sancta (1590, in Rome – 6 May 1647, in Rome) was an Italian Jesuit priest, and heraldist. His name is also spelt as Sylvester Petra Sancta, Petrasancta, in Italian Padre Silvestro da Pietrasanta. Pseudonym: Coelius Se ...

(1590–1647), Italian priest and herald *

Patriarch Silvester of Alexandria Silvester served as Greek Patriarch of Alexandria between 1569 and 1590. References * 16th-century Patriarchs of Alexandria 16th-century people from the Ottoman Empire {{EasternOrthodoxy-bishop-stub ...

(fl. 1569–1590) *

Sylvester of Assisi The Servant of God Sylvester of Assisi, O.F.M. ( 1175 – 6 March 1240), was born in Assisi in the second half of the 12th century. Biography He was a member of one of the noble families of the city, the son of Rosone di Monaldo, the brother of Fa ...

(died 1240), companion of Saint Francis of Assisi *

Sylvester of Antioch Sylvester was Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch (1724–1766), the first patriarch after the Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized ...

, 18th century Greek bishop *

Sylvester of Kiev Sylvestr (''Сильвестр'' in Ukrainian) (–1123, aged 67-68) was a clergyman and a writer in Kievan Rus. Some sources name Sylvestr as a compiler of either the Primary Chronicle itself or its second edition. He was a hegumen of the Vy ...

(c. 1055–1123), clergyman and writer in Kievan Rus *

Silvester of Troina Silvester of Troina was a Basilian monk, who originally entered the monastery at Bari, Italy, but fled when he was to be appointed abbot. Silvester then lived the rest of his life as a hermit.Silvester of Valdiseve (1278–1348), monk * Sylvester of Worcester, early 13th century Bishop of Worcester

Surname

* Silvester baronets *

Andy Silvester Andrew Frederick Silvester (born 16 June 1947, Kidderminster, Worcestershire, England) is a British bassist and multi-instrumentalist. Silvester has played in various bands during his career, most notably as co-founder of both Chicken Shack and ...

(born 1947), British bassist and multi-instrumentalist *

Attila Silvester Attila-Akyla Silvester (30 July 1944 – 22 February 2010) was a famous Greek dancer, choreographer and director. He is most famous for the ballet presentations of ''Orpheus'', ''La Fille Mal Gardée'' and ''Zorba the Greek''. Biography Chore ...

, Greek choreographer *

Charles Sylvester Charles Sylvester (1774–1828) was a chemist and inventor born in Sheffield, in the Kingdom of Great Britain. He worked on galvanization, public building heating and sanitation, and railroad friction amongst other things. A book, ''Industrial M ...

, English chemist and inventor *

Dean Sylvester Dean M. Sylvester (born December 30, 1972) is an American former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). Career Sylverster was drafted by the San Jose Sharks in the 1993 NHL Supplemental Draft and spent thre ...

, American hockey player *

David Silvester David James Silvester (born 26 December 1958) is a Scottish numerical analyst. He has a Chair in Numerical Analysis and is the Head of Applied Mathematics in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Manchester. Silvester was born in ...

(born 1958), Scottish numerical analyst * David Sylvester (medievalist), Canadian medieval historian *

Debbie Silvester Debbie Silvester is a British-Australian chemist who is a professor at Curtin University. Her research considers electrochemical processes and sensing. She has explored room-temperature ionic liquids. In 2021, she was awarded the Australian Ac ...

(born 20th century), British-Australian chemist and professor *

Flor Silvester Florus "Flor" Silvester (30 August 1923 in Rotterdam – 2 December 2008 in Dordrecht), sometimes misspelled as Silvestre, was a Dutch graphic designer, illustrator, painter, and sculptor. Silverster's designs won him the Eurostar for pack ...

(1923–2008), Dutch graphic designer etc. *

Fred Silvester Frederick John Silvester (born 20 September 1933) is a retired British Conservative Party politician. Silvester contested the Walthamstow West parliamentary constituency in 1966; he was elected a Member of Parliament (MP) at the Walthamstow ...

(born 1933), former British politician * Frederick C. Silvester (1901–1966), British organist and composer *

Hannah Sylvester Hannah Sylvester (January 19, 1903 – October 15, 1973) was an American blues singer who performed in the classic female blues style, which was popular during the 1920s. She was billed as "Harlem's Mae West".Harris 1994, p. 492. Biography Sylve ...

(c. 1900–1973), American blues singer * Harold Sylvester, American film and television actor *

James Joseph Sylvester James Joseph Sylvester (3 September 1814 – 15 March 1897) was an English mathematician. He made fundamental contributions to matrix theory, invariant theory, number theory, partition theory, and combinatorics. He played a leadership ro ...

, English mathematician * Jarrod Silvester (born 1965), Australian rules footballer *

Jay Silvester L. Jay Silvester (born August 27, 1937) and participated in college athletics at Utah State University from 1956 to 1959 is an American retired athlete who mainly competed in the discus throw. In this event he finished in fourth, fifth, second ...

(born 1937), American athlete * John Silvester (disambiguation) * Joshua Sylvester, English poet * Marc Sylvester, American middle-distance runner * Michael Silvester (born 1998}, Irish rugby union player *

Michael Sylvester (politician) Michael A. “Mike” Sylvester is an American politician who has served as a member of the Maine House of Representatives since 2016. He represents the 39th House District as a member of the Democratic Party. Sylvester is a member of Democratic ...

, American politician and labor organizer *

Michael Sylvester (tenor) Michael Lane Sylvester (born August 21, 1951), is an American operatic lyric-spinto tenor. In the course of his 25-year career on the opera stage, he appeared in leading tenor roles at many of the world's opera houses, including the Metropolitan ...

, American opera-singer *

Mike Sylvester Michael "Mike" Joseph Sylvester (born December 10, 1951) is an American and Italian retired basketball player who is currently coach at Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy. Due to the United States boycotting the 1980 Summer Olympics, he was the ...

, an Italian-American basketball player *

Nigel Sylvester Nigel Sylvester (born August 23, 1987 in Queens, New York) is an American professional BMX athlete; He is best known for his progressive bicycling skills as well as his digital content featuring his unique BMX stunts and adventures around the glo ...

, American professional BMX athlete * Paul J. Silvester (born 1963), American white collar criminal * Peter Silvester (disambiguation) * Philip Carteret Silvester (1777–1828), 2nd Baronet * Rick Sylvester, American stuntman * Robin Sylvester, English musician *

Sarah Morgan-Silvester Sarah Morgan-Silvester (born 1959) was the Chancellor of the University of British Columbia from November 19, 2008,

(born 1959), Canadian university chancellor * Sherry Sylvester, American political worker and journalist * Stephen Silvester (born 1951), English cricketer *

Victor Silvester Victor Marlborough Silvester OBE (25 February 190014 August 1978) was an English dancer, writer, musician and bandleader from the British dance band era. He was a significant figure in the development of ballroom dance during the first hal ...

(1900–1978), English musician and bandleader * Walter Sylvester (1867–1944), English inventor *

William Sylvester William Sylvester (January 31, 1922 – January 25, 1995) was an American television and film actor. His most famous film credit was Dr. Heywood Floyd in Stanley Kubrick's '' 2001 A Space Odyssey'' (1968). Life and career William Sylves ...

, American TV and film actor *

William Henry Thomas Sylvester William Henry Thomas Sylvester VC (16 April 1831 – 13 March 1920) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth ...

, English army officer and surgeon

Fictional characters

* Bear Sylvester, a character on the BBC soap opera ''Doctors'' *Sylvester, a character in the 1990 American action comedy movie '' Kindergarten Cop'' *

Sylvester the Cat Sylvester Pussycat, Sr. is a fictional character, an anthropomorphic tuxedo cat in the ''Looney Tunes'' and ''Merrie Melodies'' series of cartoons. Most of his appearances have him often chasing Tweety, Speedy Gonzales, or Hippety Hopper. He appea ...

, a Looney Tunes character * Sylvester Junior, a son of Sylvester J. Pussycat, Sr. *Sylvester, a donkey in the children's book ''

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble ''Sylvester and the Magic Pebble'' is a children's picture book written and illustrated by William Steig, and published in 1969. The book received the Caldecott Medal in 1970. Plot Sylvester Duncan, a young donkey from the fictional community ...

'' *Sylvester, a main character in the series '' Trapped in the Closet'' *Sylvester Rax, an antagonist in the 1985 animated show ''

M.A.S.K. (TV series) ''M.A.S.K.'' is a 1985 French/American animated television series produced by DIC and ICC TV Productions, Ltd. The series was based on the M.A.S.K. action figures produced by Kenner Products. It was animated in Japan by Ashi Productions, Studio ...

'' *Sylvester McMonkey McBean, a character in the Dr. Seuss book '' The Sneetches and Other Stories'' * Sue Sylvester, a main character on the Fox sitcom ''Glee''

Given name

Clergy

Surname

Fictional characters

See also