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 (abbreviated ) is a word that generally modifies a noun or noun phrase or describes its referent. Its semantic role is to change information given by the noun. Traditionally, adjectives were considered one of the ma ...

''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, ...

''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 period ...

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 Sylvester (c. 1100 – 1162), count of Marsico ( it), was a Norman nobleman of the Kingdom of Sicily. Second son of Godfrey of Ragusa, second eldest son of Roger I of Sicily, he was not a young man when he first rose to importance in the realm. ...

(c. 1100–1162), Count of Marsico in the Kingdom of Sicily * Silvester Ashioya (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 Silvester John Brito (September 26, 1937 - October 7, 2018) was an American poet and academic. He was an associate professor of anthropology and folklore at the University of Wyoming. Early life and education Brito was born September 26, 1937, i ...

(1937–2018), American poet and academic * Sylvester Croom (born 1954), American football coach and former player * Silvester Diggles (1817–1880), Australian musician and ornithologist *

Silvester Fernandes Silvester Fernandes (born 26 November 1936) is a Kenyan field hockey player. He competed at the 1960, 1964 and the 1968 Summer Olympics The 1968 Summer Olympics ( es, Juegos Olímpicos de Verano de 1968), officially known as the Games of the ...

(born 1936), Kenyan hockey player * Silvester Gardiner (1708–1786), American physician etc. * Silvester Goraseb (born 1974), Namibian footballer * Sylvester Graham (1794–1851), Presbyterian minister, father of graham crackers * Silvester Harding (1745–1809), English artist and publisher * Silvester Horne (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 nea ...

(1813–1889), Kentucky merchant and politician * Silvester Knipfer (1939–2010), German sports shooter * Sylvester Levay (born 1954), Hungarian musician *

Sylvester McCoy Percy James Patrick Kent-Smith (born 20 August 1943), known professionally as Sylvester McCoy, is a Scottish actor. Gaining prominence as a physical comedian, he became best known for playing the seventh incarnation of the Doctor in the lon ...

(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 (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 ...

(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, ...

(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 (born 1946), American actor *Sylvester Stewart (born 1943), or

Sly Stone Sylvester Stewart (born March 15, 1943), better known by his stage name Sly Stone, is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer who is most famous for his role as frontman for Sly and the Family Stone, playing a critical role in the ...

, musician and record producer, best known as the frontman for

Sly and the Family Stone Sly and the Family Stone was an American band from San Francisco. Active from 1966 to 1983, it was pivotal in the development of funk, soul, rock, and psychedelic music. Its core line-up was led by singer-songwriter, record producer, and multi ...

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 (born 1970), American professional wrestler *

John Silvester Varley John Silvester Varley (born 1 April 1956) is an English banker who was the group chief executive of Barclays from 2004 to 2011. Early life John Silvester Varley was born in Warwick. His father, Philip, was a solicitor in Coventry. Varley was e ...

(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 Sylvester IV, born Maginulf, was a claimant to the Papacy from 1105 to 1111 in opposition to Paschal II. A priest before his election, he was probably a native of Rome. He had the backing of the Roman militia and initially of the Holy Roman Empero ...

, 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 Pope Sylvester II ( – 12 May 1003), originally known as Gerbert of Aurillac, was a French-born scholar and teacher who served as the bishop of Rome and ruled the Papal States from 999 to his death. He endorsed and promoted study of Arab and Gre ...

(c. 946–1003) *

Pope Sylvester III Pope Sylvester III (c. 1000 – October 1063), born John in Rome, was Bishop of Rome and hence ruler of the Papal States from 20 January to March 1045. Background Christened John, he was born into the powerful Roman patrician family Crescentii. ...

(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 (1177–1267), saint and founder of the Sylvestrines religious order *

Silvester Jenks Silvester Jenks (c. 1656 – December 1714) was an English Catholic priest and theologian. Born in Shropshire, Jenks attended the English College, Douai, where he served as Professor of Philosophy from 1680 to 1686. He later served as a preacher ...

(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 S ...

(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 (died 1240), companion of Saint Francis of Assisi * Sylvester of Antioch, 18th century Greek bishop * Sylvester of Kiev (c. 1055–1123), clergyman and writer in Kievan Rus * Silvester of Troina (died 1185), Basilian monk *

Silvester of Valdiseve Silvester of Valdiseve (or Valdisieve) (1278–1348) was a medieval monk who is not yet recognized as a saint by the Roman Catholic Church, but rather a Blessed. Silvester was christened Ventura and lived in Florence. He was involved in the proces ...

(1278–1348), monk *

Sylvester of Worcester Sylvester was a medieval Bishop of Worcester. Sylvester was elected Prior of Worcester on 21 January 1215.Silvester baronets The Silvester Baronetcy, of Yardley, was a title that was created twice in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom, both times for John Silvester, Recorder of the City of London. The first creation came on 20 May 1815, with normal remainder to the h ...

* Andy Silvester (born 1947), British bassist and multi-instrumentalist * Attila Silvester, 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, American hockey player * David Silvester (born 1958), Scottish numerical analyst * David Sylvester (medievalist), Canadian medieval historian * Debbie Silvester (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 (born 1933), former British politician *

Frederick C. Silvester Image: Frederick_C_Silvester.jpg, caption Frederick C. Silvester (1901 – 1966) was a British organist and composer. Life Silvester studied organ with C. Spencer Heap in England and, after moving in 1921 to Canada, with Lynnwood Farnam in ...

(1901–1966), British organist and composer * Hannah Sylvester (c. 1900–1973), American blues singer *

Harold Sylvester Harold Sylvester (born February 10, 1949) is an American film and television actor. Early life and education Sylvester was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is a graduate of New Orleans' St. Augustine High School and Tulane University. Turnin ...

, American film and television actor * James Joseph Sylvester, English mathematician *

Jarrod Silvester Jarrod B. Silvester was an Australian rules football player for Australian Football League (AFL) club Richmond. He previously played for the Calder Cannons and Victorian Football League (VFL) side Coburg after initially failing to be drafted. ...

(born 1965), Australian rules footballer * Jay Silvester (born 1937), American athlete * John Silvester (disambiguation) *

Joshua Sylvester Josuah Sylvester (1563 – 28 September 1618) was an English poet. Biography Sylvester was the son of a Kentish clothier. In his tenth year he was sent to school at King Edward VI School, Southampton, where he gained a knowledge of French. ...

, 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 (United States), Democratic Party. Syl ...

, 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, American professional BMX athlete * Paul J. Silvester (born 1963), American white collar criminal * Peter Silvester (disambiguation) *

Philip Carteret Silvester Sir Philip Carteret Silvester (1777–1828) was a captain in the Royal Navy He was the son of Rear-admiral Philip Carteret, the circumnavigator, by his wife Mary Rachel, daughter of Sir John Baptist Silvester, M.D., F.R.S. (d. 1789), a Frenchman ...

(1777–1828), 2nd Baronet *

Rick Sylvester Rick Sylvester (born April 3, 1942) is an American climber and former stuntman, most famous for his BASE jumping using skis and a Union Jack parachute from Mount Asgard in Canada for the James Bond movie '' The Spy Who Loved Me'' in July 1976. ...

, American stuntman *

Robin Sylvester Robin Sylvester (1950 – 29 October 2022) was an English musician who was best known as a member of the American band RatDog. Although primarily a bass player, he played several instruments, including the guitar and keyboards, and did extensi ...

, English musician * Sarah Morgan-Silvester (born 1959), Canadian university chancellor *

Sherry Sylvester Sherry Sylvester is a political worker and journalist. She was the communications director for Doug Forrester's 2005 campaign for Governor of New Jersey. She served briefly as the communications director for the Republican Party of Texas after he ...

, American political worker and journalist * Stephen Silvester (born 1951), English cricketer * Victor Silvester (1900–1978), English musician and bandleader *

Walter Sylvester Walter Sylvester (18 December 1867 – 30 October 1944) was an English inventor, known for the "Sylvester", a device for safely removing pit props in mines. Life Sylvester was born in 1867 in Newbold, Derbyshire; his father was a coal miner. The f ...

(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 Sylve ...

, American TV and film actor * William Henry Thomas Sylvester, English army officer and surgeon

Fictional characters

Bear Sylvester Bear Sylvester is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'', portrayed by Dex Lee. Lee began filming for the role in June 2019 and Bear made his first appearance on 18 November 2019, in scenes that show him attending an interv ...

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

Kindergarten Cop ''Kindergarten Cop'' is a 1990 American action comedy film directed by Ivan Reitman and distributed by Universal Pictures. Arnold Schwarzenegger stars as John Kimble, a tough police detective working undercover as a kindergarten teacher to apprehe ...

'' * Sylvester the Cat, 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 ''Trapped in the Closet'' is a musical film, musical soap opera series by American contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter & producer R. Kelly, with 33 "chapters" released sporadically from 2005 to 2012. Written, produced, and directed by Kelly, ...

'' *Sylvester Rax, an antagonist in the 1985 animated show '' M.A.S.K. (TV series)'' *Sylvester McMonkey McBean, a character in the Dr. Seuss book ''

The Sneetches and Other Stories ''The Sneetches and Other Stories'' is a collection of stories by American children's author Dr. Seuss, published in 1961. It is composed of four separate stories with themes of tolerance, diversity, and compromise: "The Sneetches", "The Zax", ...

'' *

Sue Sylvester Susan "Sue" Rodham Sylvester is a fictional character of the Fox musical comedy-drama series, '' Glee''. The character is portrayed by actress Jane Lynch, and appears in ''Glee'' from its pilot episode, first broadcast on May 19, 2009, through ...

, a main character on the Fox sitcom ''Glee''

Given name

Clergy

Fictional characters

See also