Saylor

SAY-ler

Surname-name or spelling variation of Sailor

"ropemaker; dancer, acrobat; boatman"

By Sophie Kihm

Updated Fri Nov 15 2024

Show me Saylor as a boy's name →

Saylor Origin and Meaning

The name Saylor is a girl's name meaning "ropemaker; dancer, acrobat; boatman".

Currently in the US Top 300, Saylor finds the middle ground between the popular and unisex Taylor, and the more unexpected, wordier Sailor. In fact, it is currently used more often than either of its sound-alikes.

For a name that feels like it could just be a creative spelling, Saylor has a surprisingly interesting etymology. On one hand, it is a variation of the English word sailor, relating it to the sea, to travel, and to boatmanship.

On the other, it's a surname in its own right. In Medieval Germany, it was related to the word seil, meaning "rope" and was therefore used as an occupational surname for ropemakers. In Middle English, it was linked to the the Old French word sailleor meaning "to leap", and therefore used to describe a dancer, tumbler, or acrobat.

Ultimately, parents may choose this version because it feels less like a word and more like a name, and because including the letter Y makes it feel contemporary and on trend.

# 215 in the US

Saylor Rank in US Top 1000

# 1399 on Nameberry

Saylor Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Saylor Popularity

215US2023
1399Nameberry2024
307Future2028

20 Names Similar to Saylor

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Famous People Named Saylor

Saylor James Cutler (b. 2015)
daughter of actress Kristin Cavallari and NFL player Jay Cutler
Saylor Monroe Lang
daughter of singers Jonny Lang and Haylie Johnson; twin brother Raimy Lee
Saylor Callisto Brotherton
daughter of actors John Brotherton and Alison Raimondi

Saylor in Pop Culture

Saylor Stark
a powerful Mage in Rachel Hawkin's "Rebel Belle"
Saylor
from Old French "sailleor", meaning dancer