Where does “Sylvia” come from?

Sylvia (French) comes from Latin silvia, from Latin silva, from Proto-Indo-European sēl- — to calm, quiet, be favourable.

Ancestry of “Sylvia”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinsilviawoodland sprite
2Latinsilvawood, forest; orchard, grove
3Proto-Indo-Europeansēl-to calm, quiet, be favourable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sēl- →Every word from Latin silva →Every word from Latin silvia →