Sly
Meaning: “woody, rural”
About the name Sly
Sly is a boy name with Latin roots, meaning “woody, rural”. It is related to Sylvester, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a unique, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Sly ranked #8160 for boys in the US, with 10 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2025. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Sly were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of Sylvester, which comes from Latin, meaning “woody, rural”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Sly”, “Sylvester”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #8160
- In 2015
- Not ranked
- Babies in 2025
- 10
Popularity of Sly, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Sly
Sly is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Sly
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.