Silvia () is a female given name of

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

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, and is a form of Roman folklore. "Roman mythology" may also refer to the modern study of these representations, and to th ...

, 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.Livy I.4.2 This event was portrayed numerous times in Roman art. Her story is told in the ...

was the mother of

Romulus and Remus In Roman mythology, Romulus and (, ) are twins in mythology, twin brothers whose story tells of the events that led to the Founding of Rome, founding of the History of Rome, city of Rome and the Roman Kingdom by Romulus, following his frat ...

. Silvia is also the name of one of the female

innamorati (; ) 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 posh characters were present within pl ...

of the

commedia dell'arte Commedia dell'arte was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Theatre of Italy, Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is a ...

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 that ...

'' 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 Silvia (born Silvia Renate Sommerlath; 23 December 1943) is Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf. She has held this title since her marriage to Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976. The king and queen have three children: Crown Princess Vict ...

(born 1943), spouse of King Carl XVI Gustaf * Saint Silvia, Italian saint of the 6th century *

Silvia Abascal Silvia Abascal Estrada (born 20 March 1979) is a Spanish film, television and stage actress. She landed a breakthrough role in 1995 sitcom '' Pepa y Pepe'' which advanced her career. She has since featured in films such as ''The Yellow Fountain' ...

(born 1979), Spanish actress * Silvia Abril (born 1971), Spanish actress and comedian *

Silvia Agüero Silvia Agüero (born 24 August 1985) is a Spanish feminist writer and human rights activist who recovers the memory of the oppression of the ''gitanos''. Biography Silvia Agüero Fernández was born in Vallecas (a district in Madrid) into a ga ...

(born 1985), Spanish Roma writer and activist * Silvia Airik-Priuhka, Estonian writer and poetry translator * Silvia Albano, Italian judge *

Silvia Alonso Silvia Alonso Cruz (born 28 December 1989, in Salamanca) is a Spanish actress. Her debut was as the protagonist of the Telecinco series ''Tierra de lobos'', playing Almudena Lobo. She has participated in different Spanish series such as ''Amar e ...

(born 1989), Spanish actress * Silvia Araya (1930–2021), Chilean-born Canadian painter and art instructor *

Silvia Arber Silvia Arber (born 1968 in Geneva) is a Swiss neurobiologist. She teaches and researches at both the Biozentrum of the University of Basel and the Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research in Basel Switzerland. Education Silvia Arb ...

(born 1968), Swiss neurobiologist *

Silvia Arrom Silvia Marina Arrom (born 26 August 1949) is an American historian of Mexico. She is the Jane's Professor Emerita of Latin American Studies at Brandeis University. Arrom has published on groups and issues that have largely been ignored in tradi ...

(born 1949), American historian *

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 Balletti Zanetta Rosa Benozzi Balletti (27 June 1701, in Toulouse – 16 September 1758), known under her stage name Silvia Balletti, was an Italian actress. She was active at the ''Troupe de Regente'' of Luigi Riccoboni at the Comédie-Italienne in Paris ...

(1701–1758), Italian actress * Silvia Baraldino (born 1947), Italian political activist *

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 R ...

, Spanish motor racing official *

Silvia Blair Silvia Blair Trujillo is a Colombian scientist, known for her research on antimalarial compounds found in traditional plants from her country.

, Colombian scientist *

Silvia Bovenschen Silvia Bovenschen (5 March 1946 in Point bei Waakirchen, Upper Bavaria — 25 October 2017 in Berlin) was a German feminist literary critic, author and essayist. History Bovenschen was the daughter of a public limited company director. She grew ...

(1946–2017), German feminist literary critic, author and essayist *

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 Breher Silvia Maria Breher ( Lucke; born 23 July 1973) is a German lawyer and politician of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) who has been serving as a Member of the Bundestag for the constituency of Cloppenburg – Vechta since the 2017 federal e ...

(born 1973), German politician * Silvia Calzón (born 1975), Spanish epidemiologist and politician * Silvia Cambir, 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. Earl ...

, New Zealand Viceroy, jurist * Silvia Cavalleri (born 1972), Italian professional golfer * Silvia Ciornei, Romanian politician * Silvia Clemente (born 1967), Spanish politician and civil servant *

Silvia Carreño-Coll Silvia Luisa Carreño-Coll (born 1963) is a United States district judge for the United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico and a former United States magistrate judge of the same court. Education Carreño-Coll earned her Ba ...

(born 1963), Dominican-American judge * Silvia Collatina (born 1972), Italian actress *

Silvia Colloca Silvia Colloca (born 23 July 1977) is an Italian-Australian actress, opera singer, cookbook author, and television cookery show personality. She has published six cookbooks. Life and career Colloca was born in Milan to Loredana and Mario Colloc ...

(born 1977), Italian-Australian actress, singer, and cookbook author * Silvia Corzo (born 1973), Colombian lawyer and news presenter *

Silvia D'Amico Silvia D'Amico (born 4 May 1986) is an Italian television, stage and film actress. Life and career Born in Rome, in 2009 D'Amico graduated from the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico and started her career on stage. After ...

(born 1986), Italian actress *

Silvia Derbez Lucille Silvia Derbez Amézquita, better known as Silvia Derbez (March 8, 1932 – April 6, 2002) was a Mexican film and television actress. She was the lead actress in the first telenovela produced in Mexico, ''Senda Prohibida''. Biography D ...

(1932–2002), Mexican actress *

Silvia Dionisio Silvia Dionisio (born 28 September 1951) is an Italian actress who appeared in several movies in the 1970s. Life and career Born in Rome, Dionisio made her acting debut when she was only 14 years old in John Schlesinger's '' Darling''. The f ...

(born 1950), Italian actress *

Silvia Disderi Silvia Disderi (born 10 July 1983) is an Italian former professional tennis player. Career Disderi grew up in the northern Italian town of Biella, where she began playing tennis at the age of seven, after being introduced to the sport by her fat ...

(born 1983), Italian professional tennis player * Silvia Dominguez (born 1987), Spanish basketball player * Silvia Eiblmayr, Austrian art historian and curator *

Silvia Ferrari Silvia Ferrari is an Italian-American aerospace engineer. She is John Brancaccio Professor at the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Cornell University and also the director of the Laboratory for Intelligent Systems and Contr ...

, Italian-American aerospace engineer * Silvia Fontana (born 1976), Italian figure skater * Silvia Foti (born 1961), American journalist * Silvia Fominaya (born 1975), Spanish model, actress and presenter *

Silvia Fuselli Silvia Fuselli (born in Cecina, 1 July 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 I ...

, 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 Hroncová Silvia Hroncová (born 22 July 1964) is a Slovak manager and publisher. From May to October 2023 she served as the minister of culture of Slovakia. Biography Hroncová, née Baránová was born on 22 July 1964 in Bratislava. She studied theat ...

(born 1964), Slovak manager and publisher * Silvia Hunte (born 1938), Panamanian sprinter * Silvia Intxaurrondo, Spanish journalist * Silvia Laidla, Estonian actress * Silvia Lara Povedano, Costa Rican politician and sociologist *

Silvia Levenson Silvia Levenson (born 1957, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentine contemporary artist and political activist working in glass. Originally a graphic artist in her native Argentina whose political work was in direct conflict with the dictators ...

(born 1957), Argentine artist and activist * Silvia Lospennato (born 1977), Argentine political scientist and politician * Silvia Lulcheva (born 1969), Bulgarian actress *

Sílvia Pérez Cruz Sílvia Pérez Cruz (born in Palafrugell, 15 February 1983) is a Spanish singer and composer. 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 ...

, Spanish singer * Silvia Puppo Gastélum, Mexican politician * Silvia Madetzky, German female discus thrower * Silvia Marcovici, Romanian violinist *

Silvia Mezzanotte Silvia Mezzanotte (born 22 April 1967 in Bologna), is an Italian singer and song-writer. Early solo career Mezzanotte debuted at the Sanremo Music Festival in Sanremo Music Festival 1990, 1990 with her song ''Sarai grande'', reaching the 4th ...

, Italian singer *Silvia Sorina Munteanu, Romanian singer *Silvia Navarro, Mexican actress *Silvia Neid (born 1964), German professional football player and manager *Silvia Njirić, Croatian tennis player *Silvia Obrist, Swiss wheelchair curler *Silvia Odio (born 1937), Cuban-American who testified at the Warren Commission investigation *Silva Oja (born 1961), Estonian heptathlete *Silvia Olari (born 1988), Italian singer *Silvia Olmedo (born 1976), Spanish psychologist, sexologist, television host, producer and author *Silvie Paladino, Silvia Paladino (born 1971), Australian singer *Silvia Peppoloni, Italian geologist, researcher, and scholar *Silvia Picozzi, Italian physicist *Silvia Pinal, Mexican actress *Silvia Prada (born 1969), Spanish artist *Silvia Radu, Romanian sculptor *Silvia Reyes (1949–2024), Spanish transgender activist *Silvia Rivas (born 1957), Argentine artist *Silvia Rodgers (1928–2006), German-Jewish-British writer and political activist *Silvia Ruegger (1961–2019), Canadian long-distance runner *Silvia Saint, Czech pornographic actress *Silvia Santelices (born 1940), Chilean actress *Silvia Sapag (born 1949), Argentine politician *Silvia Semenzin (born 1991), Italian author, scholar and activist *Silvia Semeraro (born 1996), Italian karateka *Silvia Seidel, German actress *Silvia Solar (1936–2011), French actress *Sílvia Soler, Silvia Soler (born 1961), Spanish writer and journalist *Silvia Sommer, Austrian composer, pianist and music producer *Silvia Stroescu, Romanian gymnast *Silvia Stump (born 1953), Swiss alpine skier *Silvia Tcherassi, Colombian fashion designer *Silvia Adriana Țicău, Romanian politician *Silvia Toffanin (born 1979), Italian television host, and fashion model *Silvia Torras (1936–1970), Argentine artist *Silvia Tortora (1962–2022), Italian journalist *Silvia Truu (1922–1990), Estonian children's writer *Silvia Urbina (1928–2016), Chilean singer, folklorist and teacher *Silvia Vasquez-Lavado, Peruvian-American explorer and mountaineer *Silvia Valdés (born 1953), Guatemalan Supreme Court judge *Silvia Valsecchi (born 1982), Italian racing cyclist *Silvia Vignolini (born 1981), Italian physicist *Silvia Vidal (born 1970), Spanish mountain climber *Silvia Weissteiner (born 1979), Italian long-distance runner *Silvia Yustos (born 1971), Spanish rhythmic gymnast and coach *Silvia Zarzu (born 1998), Romanian artistic gymnast *Silvia Zenari (1895–1956), Italian geologist and botanist *Silvia Ziche (born 1967), Italian comic book artist and writer

People with the surname

* Alan Silvia, American politician from Massachusetts * Evelyn Silvia (1948–2006), American mathematician * Stephen Silvia, American academic * Tatiana Silva, 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