Waverly Unisex

Popularity: #706 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WAY-ver-lee //ˈweɪ.vər.li//

Origin: English; Old English

Meaning: English: meadow by the river; Old English: from the quaking aspen tree

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Waverly has its roots in Old English, derived from the elements "waver" meaning to wave or move, and "leah" meaning a clearing or meadow. This etymological combination suggests a meaning akin to "meadow by the waves" or "quaking meadow," reflecting a landscape characterized by both water and open land.

The name entered the English lexicon through place names, particularly in England, where various locations bear the name Waverley, such as Waverley Abbey in Surrey, founded in the 12th century, which is one of the earliest Cistercian monasteries in England. Historically, the name gained further prominence in the 19th century through literature, notably with Sir Walter Scott's novel "Waverley," published in 1814.

This work is often credited with establishing the historical novel genre and brought the name into broader cultural awareness. The character Edward Waverley, a young Englishman, becomes embroiled in the Jacobite risings, and the novel's exploration of Scottish history and identity resonated with readers, contributing to the name's association with themes of adventure and national heritage.

Culturally, Waverly has been embraced in various contexts, often symbolizing a connection to nature and pastoral beauty, evoking imagery of serene landscapes. The name has also been used in various artistic and literary works, reinforcing its association with romantic and idyllic settings.

In addition to its full form, Waverly has seen diminutive forms such as Wavy, which carry a playful connotation. Overall, the name encapsulates a rich tapestry of linguistic heritage and cultural significance, reflecting both its historical roots and its literary connections.

Famous people named Waverly

In this section, you will find notable people named Waverly. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Waverly who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Waverly who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Waverly Fitzgerald is an author best known for her books on urban fantasy and her work with the Waverly Writers' Workshop.

Waverly Place is a fictional character from the television series Wizards of Waverly Place, known for her magical adventures and family dynamics.

Fictional characters named Waverly

The following list of fictional characters named Waverly is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Waverly Earp is a fictional character from the TV series Wynonna Earp. She is the younger sister of Wynonna Earp and plays a crucial role in the fight against supernatural threats in their hometown.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Waverly, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

EverlyAveryHarleyFinleyKinsleyRiley

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Waverly. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

BeverlyCarlyHadleyMarleySableTinsleyZoe

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Waverly was first seen in the United States in 1881.

Waverly has ranked as high as #1413 nationally, which occurred in 2021, and has been most popular in Virginia, California, North Carolina, Texas, and New York.

In the past 5 years the name Waverly has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Waverly is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Waverly was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Waverly.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 244 0 244
2024 298 5 293
2023 305 0 305
2022 384 0 384
2021 387 6 381
2020 377 5 372
2019 343 6 337
2018 274 5 269
2017 264 9 255
2016 230 5 225
2015 127 6 121
2014 133 0 133
2013 114 5 109
2012 76 0 76
2011 76 7 69
2010 61 5 56
2009 65 0 65
2008 56 5 51
2007 40 0 40
2006 40 0 40
2005 38 0 38
2004 27 0 27
2003 44 6 38
2002 30 0 30
2001 40 7 33
2000 34 6 28
1999 30 5 25
1998 35 8 27
1997 48 9 39
1996 35 0 35
1995 58 6 52
1994 58 8 50
1993 10 5 5
1992 10 5 5
1991 8 8 0
1990 17 11 6
1989 17 11 6
1988 11 6 5
1987 5 0 5
1986 8 8 0
1985 10 10 0
1984 10 10 0
1983 15 9 6
1982 8 8 0
1981 12 12 0
1980 16 16 0
1979 9 9 0
1978 21 15 6
1977 9 9 0
1976 21 14 7
1975 17 10 7
1974 19 14 5
1973 15 10 5
1972 10 10 0
1971 19 13 6
1970 24 19 5
1969 13 13 0
1968 23 16 7
1967 20 14 6
1966 24 24 0
1965 12 12 0
1964 24 16 8
1963 36 27 9
1962 33 20 13
1961 30 30 0
1960 36 29 7
1959 37 31 6
1958 24 19 5
1957 38 33 5
1956 45 40 5
1955 33 27 6
1954 32 25 7
1953 38 24 14
1952 34 28 6
1951 51 46 5
1950 41 34 7
1949 35 28 7
1948 42 33 9
1947 34 29 5
1946 40 34 6
1945 27 27 0
1944 29 23 6
1943 27 21 6
1942 30 25 5
1941 35 28 7
1940 17 17 0
1939 30 23 7
1938 27 22 5
1937 28 23 5
1936 29 23 6
1935 22 22 0
1934 27 20 7
1933 31 31 0
1932 33 25 8
1931 22 22 0
1930 24 24 0
1929 42 42 0
1928 24 24 0
1927 31 31 0
1926 34 25 9
1925 33 27 6
1924 40 40 0
1923 35 35 0
1922 34 34 0
1921 27 27 0
1920 30 25 5
1919 38 31 7
1918 19 19 0
1917 23 23 0
1916 23 23 0
1915 20 20 0
1914 21 16 5
1913 11 11 0
1912 10 10 0
1911 13 13 0
1910 8 8 0
1909 5 5 0
1907 8 8 0
1906 5 5 0
1905 10 10 0
1903 7 7 0
1901 5 5 0
1900 13 13 0
1898 7 7 0
1897 6 6 0
1896 8 8 0
1895 9 9 0
1894 5 5 0
1893 6 6 0
1892 6 6 0
1889 6 6 0
1888 6 6 0
1886 7 7 0
1884 5 5 0
1881 5 5 0

Top States for Waverly (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 20
8%
NC 20
8%
FL 15
6%
VA 15
6%
IN 13
5%
MO 13
5%
TX 13
5%
PA 12
5%
TN 12
5%
OK 10
4%
KY 10
4%
IL 10
4%
MN 9
4%
NY 9
4%
WV 8
3%
OH 8
3%
MI 7
3%
WA 7
3%
CO 6
2%
MS 6
2%
IA 6
2%
WI 6
2%
AL 5
2%
SC 5
2%