Wesley Boy
Origin(s)
Old English; Latin
Meaning
Old English: western meadow; Latin: from the west
Historical & Cultural Background
Wesley is derived from the Old English surname, which originally referred to someone from a western meadow. The name gained popularity in the 18th century, particularly due to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement. It has since been used as a first name in English-speaking countries. Wesley is often associated with a sense of pastoral tranquility.
Trend Summary
Wesley has seen fluctuating popularity in the United States, peaking in the 1990s and remaining a classic choice.
Similar Names
Wes, Waylon, Wyatt, Warren, Walter, Whitman
Variants
- Wes
- Wesleyan
International Variants
- Wesley (English)
- Wesley (Portuguese)
Famous people named Wesley
Wesley Snipes is an American actor known for his roles in films such as 'Blade' and 'White Men Can't Jump'.
Wesley Crusher is a fictional character from 'Star Trek: The Next Generation', portrayed as a young prodigy.
Wesley Anderson is an American filmmaker known for his distinctive visual and narrative style in films like 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'.
Fictional characters named Wesley
Wesley Wyndam-Pryce is a character from the television series 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' and its spin-off 'Angel', known for his transformation from a bumbling watcher to a skilled fighter.
Wesley Dodd is a character in the comic book series 'Sandman', known for his role as the villain known as the 'Sandman'.
Sibling Suggestions
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Wesley was first seen in the United States in 1880. Wesley has ranked as high as #95 nationally, which occurred in 2024, and has been most popular in California, Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. In the past 5 years the name Wesley has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
All data featured information on this baby name page is provided from official Social Security Administration databases. Names, Gender, and Birthdates are updated annually by the SSA for both national and state birth totals. Our records on the national level data back to 1880. If a chart starts after 1880 it's because that baby name first appeared in official SSA records at that time. If you're name shows a data after your birthdate as a start pointing, feel free to contact us using our contact section and we'll happily update with your birth year.
Popularity Over Time (National)
Top States for Wesley (2024)
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 417 | |
| TX | 348 | |
| NY | 247 | |
| PA | 237 | |
| OH | 237 | |
| FL | 220 | |
| MI | 189 | |
| NC | 179 | |
| MA | 166 | |
| IL | 155 | |
| MN | 148 | |
| WI | 145 | |
| GA | 141 | |
| WA | 139 | |
| VA | 137 |
Popularity Over Time (National) — Table
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 123 |
| 1881 | 102 |
| 1882 | 145 |
| 1883 | 104 |
| 1884 | 120 |
| 1885 | 108 |
| 1886 | 121 |
| 1887 | 115 |
| 1888 | 147 |
| 1889 | 101 |
| 1890 | 131 |
| 1891 | 115 |
| 1892 | 142 |
| 1893 | 136 |
| 1894 | 149 |
| 1895 | 156 |
| 1896 | 145 |
| 1897 | 121 |
| 1898 | 151 |
| 1899 | 119 |
| 1900 | 181 |
| 1901 | 146 |
| 1902 | 145 |
| 1903 | 153 |
| 1904 | 166 |
| 1905 | 174 |
| 1906 | 155 |
| 1907 | 191 |
| 1908 | 185 |
| 1909 | 197 |
| 1910 | 209 |
| 1911 | 261 |
| 1912 | 485 |
| 1913 | 585 |
| 1914 | 789 |
| 1915 | 990 |
| 1916 | 1,026 |
| 1917 | 1,014 |
| 1918 | 1,145 |
| 1919 | 1,099 |
| 1920 | 1,244 |
| 1921 | 1,332 |
| 1922 | 1,287 |
| 1923 | 1,379 |
| 1924 | 1,347 |
| 1925 | 1,265 |
| 1926 | 1,320 |
| 1927 | 1,324 |
| 1928 | 1,182 |
| 1929 | 1,181 |
| 1930 | 1,186 |
| 1931 | 1,115 |
| 1932 | 1,135 |
| 1933 | 1,030 |
| 1934 | 1,118 |
| 1935 | 1,040 |
| 1936 | 1,061 |
| 1937 | 1,065 |
| 1938 | 1,074 |
| 1939 | 1,113 |
| 1940 | 1,129 |
| 1941 | 1,091 |
| 1942 | 1,253 |
| 1943 | 1,267 |
| 1944 | 1,169 |
| 1945 | 1,107 |
| 1946 | 1,248 |
| 1947 | 1,459 |
| 1948 | 1,336 |
| 1949 | 1,406 |
| 1950 | 1,527 |
| 1951 | 1,500 |
| 1952 | 1,594 |
| 1953 | 1,733 |
| 1954 | 1,844 |
| 1955 | 1,925 |
| 1956 | 2,005 |
| 1957 | 1,993 |
| 1958 | 1,953 |
| 1959 | 1,999 |
| 1960 | 2,021 |
| 1961 | 2,002 |
| 1962 | 1,963 |
| 1963 | 2,099 |
| 1964 | 1,969 |
| 1965 | 1,860 |
| 1966 | 1,803 |
| 1967 | 1,587 |
| 1968 | 1,643 |
| 1969 | 1,861 |
| 1970 | 2,059 |
| 1971 | 1,959 |
| 1972 | 1,691 |
| 1973 | 1,554 |
| 1974 | 1,467 |
| 1975 | 1,532 |
| 1976 | 2,147 |
| 1977 | 4,301 |
| 1978 | 3,306 |
| 1979 | 3,237 |
| 1980 | 3,165 |
| 1981 | 3,042 |
| 1982 | 3,030 |
| 1983 | 2,788 |
| 1984 | 2,799 |
| 1985 | 3,044 |
| 1986 | 3,043 |
| 1987 | 3,244 |
| 1988 | 3,478 |
| 1989 | 3,457 |
| 1990 | 3,316 |
| 1991 | 3,267 |
| 1992 | 3,239 |
| 1993 | 3,172 |
| 1994 | 3,031 |
| 1995 | 2,798 |
| 1996 | 2,616 |
| 1997 | 2,358 |
| 1998 | 2,242 |
| 1999 | 2,207 |
| 2000 | 2,215 |
| 2001 | 2,028 |
| 2002 | 2,052 |
| 2003 | 2,123 |
| 2004 | 2,108 |
| 2005 | 2,113 |
| 2006 | 2,103 |
| 2007 | 2,063 |
| 2008 | 2,066 |
| 2009 | 2,211 |
| 2010 | 2,431 |
| 2011 | 2,476 |
| 2012 | 2,648 |
| 2013 | 2,837 |
| 2014 | 3,142 |
| 2015 | 3,232 |
| 2016 | 3,429 |
| 2017 | 3,577 |
| 2018 | 3,627 |
| 2019 | 3,763 |
| 2020 | 3,705 |
| 2021 | 4,216 |
| 2022 | 4,666 |
| 2023 | 4,550 |
| 2024 | 5,144 |