See the results of this poll: Spell this name!
Respondents: 63 (This poll is closed)
- Sylvia : 46 (73%)
- Silvia: 17 (27%)
[name_m]Both[/name_m] are Latin spellings with a lot of history, though I believe [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is the oldest variation. [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] is the most common spelling seen in English, and in [name_m]French[/name_m] this name is most used in the [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] variation (my personal favorite).
As pronunciation will not be an issue for either spelling, I would go with the one that LOOKS best to you. I voted for [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] because I find it to be a prettier spelling (for lack of a better word) but it is also the much more common spelling, if that is something that matters to you then maybe you’ll prefer using the more obscure version.
For what is worth, I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]/[name_f]Silvia[/name_f] sounds best in the first spot - but love your pairings.
Best of luck! x
The name is so dated…I’d opt for Sylvanie or [name_u]Silver[/name_u].
[name_f]Silvia[/name_f]…and I like [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] best.
I prefer the [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] spelling. It just looks better to me. Plus I really like the [name_m]French[/name_m] [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f], so [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] kind of seems like a misspelling of that to me even though I know it’s a whole different name.
I vote [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] 
[name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is the original spelling and I think the name looks bests without a “y” in your case because [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] already contains that letter. Too many y’s make combos look cluttered. [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is lush, melodious and distinctive so I would choose it for the first name. For some reason, I also think the “i” spelling looks more refreshing than the “y”. As far as cultural differences in spelling are concerned, the [name_m]German[/name_m]-born half Brazilian [name_f]Queen[/name_f] of [name_u]Sweden[/name_u] was formerly named [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] Sommerlath. The [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] spelling feels more multi-cultural than [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f].
I love the name, and I feel you should choose the spelling which appeals to you most. I prefer the look of [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], but [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is the original Latin form of the name. It appears in [name_m]Shakespeare[/name_m]'s play The Two Gentlemen of [name_f]Verona[/name_f] and was the most common spelling in English until the 19th century, when [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] took over. [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is the form used in [name_m]French[/name_m].
I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] goes better with [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f], but I like [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] much more!
I think I like both spellings equally, but with [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] I prefer [name_f]Silvia[/name_f]. One Y is enough.
Personally, I prefer the original spelling of [name]Sylvia[/name], though I much prefer the softer [name]Sylvie[/name].
I love [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]/[name_f]Silvia[/name_f]! I actually just met a [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] today (this spelling!) and I was reminded of how cool I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]/[name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is. Depending on the day, I generally prefer one over the other (if that! I generally just can’t decide, lol, but some days I like one spelling over the other). I feel like [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] would be easier to deal with, but if you have Spanish/Italian (even Portuguese, maybe?) ancestry you want to honor, [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] might be nice. [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is the traditional spelling (from the original Latin, I believe), but [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] overtook [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] in the popularity vote a couple decades ago, and [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]'s stuck ever since. I’m not sure if [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] would be a [name_m]French[/name_m] alternative, but [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] is how the [name_m]French[/name_m] form is usually spelled.
Between [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f] or [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f], I think I prefer [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], even though I thought I would like [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f] better (because it isn’t so “Y” heavy in appearance). I don’t think you could go wrong with either of them, though; they’re both great!
Good luck!
Normally, I would agree with the opinion of previous posters who said that too many y’s clutter up a name. Often, that can be true.
BUT, in looking at your combos, I MUCH prefer the repeated y’s!
For some reason, it looks better, in my opinion.
For that reason, I voted for [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f].
Also, I would love to see you use [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] in the first name spot!!
Gorgeous name that deserves to be used more!
Though typically I prefer I’s to Y’s in names, in this case I don’t. I prefer [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] (though I greatly prefer [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f]) because to my the Y and V together somehow work to give the name much more of a whimsical feel, which is what I like about the name.
[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] gets my vote as I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] flows better as the first.
I love them both - they have different feels to me though.
[name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] feels more solid and vintage, whereas [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] feels light, airy and modern.
With [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] (I prefer the spelling [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f] for this too, to be honest) I think I’d go for [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f].
As a middle name, I would go with [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] [name_f]Silvia[/name_f].
I agree with this, on every count!
I much prefer [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], but with [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f], the y’s make it look a wee but crowded. I’d still go with [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] though, personally. I just don’t like the look of [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] as much.
If in the middle [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] is prob better since the y’s are closer together. But for a first, I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f].
P.S. [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] and [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f] are my 2 favorite names. Close 
If you are going to use it as a first I would choose [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] with the nn [name_f]Sylvie[/name_f] because it sounds so much better on a little girl and [name_f]Silvie[/name_f] looks kind of weird. For a middle, its whatever looks better to you.
- [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f]
- [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f]
I voted for [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f], because [name_f]Silvia[/name_f] just looks…funny to me. However, I do prefer the look of [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f] [name_f]Silvia[/name_f], though I think [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f] [name_f]Gwyneth[/name_f] would be my first choice.
My vote is for [name_f]Gwenyth[/name_f] [name_f]Sylvia[/name_f]. Beautiful!