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Skylar

SKY-ler
Spelling variation of Schuyler, meaning "scholar"
"scholar"
Linda Rosenkrantz
By Linda Rosenkrantz
Updated Wed May 15 2024

Skylar Origin and Meaning

The name Skylar is a girl's name of Dutch origin meaning "scholar".

Skylar is a name with a hint of both edginess and whimsy and it makes for a nature-inspired choice that is neither too wordy nor too floral. Popular for girls since the 90s, Skylar has remained in the US Top 100 for over a decade.

Derived for the Dutch surname “Schuyler” meaning “Scholar”, this 80s spelling variant likely emerged by combining the sounds and letters of Tyler with the vibes of word- and nature-inspired choices, like Crystal and Heather.

Skylar is then left feeling somewhere between All-American preppy and mainstream trendy, with an academic meaning, but a spelling and sound that seem like a modern invention.

Entering the US Top 1000 back in the 1980s, Skylar was briefly more popular for boys, however, after it was used in the American soap Opera The Young and Restless in 1989, it rose rapidly in the ranks for girls.

The movie Good Will Hunting gave it another boost up the girls’ charts in 1997, and the character Skyler White from hit TV series Breaking Bad gave it the final push into the Top 100 in 2012. A name with numerous spellings, Skylar is the most popular choice and the one used nearly exclusively on girls. Skyler by contrast ranks in the #500s and remains more (statistically) unisex, while the rarer Schuyler is given only to a small handful of girls and boys each year.

The name has seen increased usage in the UK recently and has made New Zealand Top 100, however, in the US, it has been on a downward trend since it peaked in 2015. Still given to 3000 babies every year, it may just find itself neglected in favor of rising stars like Lyla, Juniper, Kaia, and Myla.

# 107 in the US

Skylar Rank in US Top 1000

# 811 on Nameberry

Skylar Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

Skylar Popularity

Famous People Named Skylar

  • Skylar Grey (born Holly Brook Hafermann)American singer,songwriter
  • Skylar Kierra DigginsAmerican pro basketball player
  • Skylar Laine (Harden)American pop singer
  • Skylar Star SteckerAmerican pop singer
  • Skylar Neillate daughter of singer Vince Neil of Motley Crue
  • Skylar Eastondaughter of singer Sheena Easton
  • Skylar Grace Duddydaughter of actress Joely Fisher and Christopher Duddy
  • Skylar Smithdaughter of NFL player Emmitt Smith
  • Skylar de Lucca (b. 2008)daughter of director Michael de Lucca and reality TV personality Angelique Madrid
  • Skylar James Epstein (b. 2015)daughter of TV personality Tracy DiMarco Epstein of "Jerseylicious"
  • Skylar Rose Bourassa (b. 2018)daughter of Chelsea O'Donnell, granddaughter of Rosie O'Donnell
  • Skylar Gray Smiley (b. 2019) daughter of actors Gretchen Rossi and Slade Smiley

Skylar in Pop Culture

  • Skylar Stormcharacter on animated series "Mighty Med"
  • Skylar Adamscharacter on TV's "Alphas"
  • Skylar Lewischaracter in film "Girl vs. Monster"
  • Skylar Bergmancharacter on TV's "Baywatch"
  • Skylarcharacter in film "Good Will Hunting"
  • Skylar Stevenscharacter on TV's "Jericho"
  • Skylar Deaconmain character in "Calling the Swan" by Jean Thesman
  • Skylar St. Claircharacter in video game "The Saboteur"
  • Skylar aka the Green Facecharacter in video game "Cybermorph"
  • Skylarnatural fragrance company