Wilson Boy
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WIL-suhn //ˈwɪl.sən//
Origin: English; Scottish
Meaning: Son of Will; son of the resolute one
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Wilson is of English origin, derived from the Old English personal name "Wulfson," which means "son of Wulf," where "Wulf" translates to "wolf." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, including the Old Norse "Vulfsson," before being anglicized into its current form. The transition into English occurred during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, when many Old Norse names were assimilated into the English lexicon, often with the suffix "-son" indicating lineage or descent.
Historically, the name Wilson has been borne by notable figures, including the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson, who served from 1913 to 1921 and played a significant role in international diplomacy during World War I. The name also appears in various historical documents and records, often as a surname, reflecting its widespread use in England and later in America.
The name's presence in literature and historical texts can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where it was commonly used as a patronymic surname, indicating familial connections. Culturally, the name Wilson carries connotations of strength and loyalty, attributes often associated with the wolf in various mythologies.
The wolf has been a symbol of courage and tenacity across different cultures, which may have contributed to the name's enduring appeal. Additionally, diminutive forms such as "Will" or "Willy" have emerged, reflecting a more personal or affectionate usage of the name.
Overall, Wilson's historical roots and cultural significance have solidified its place in the English-speaking world.
Famous people named Wilson
In this section, you will find notable people named Wilson. 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 Wilson who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Wilson 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.
Wilson Pickett is a singer best known for In the Midnight Hour, Land of 1000 Dances, and Mustang Sally.
Wilson Cruz is an actor best known for My So-Called Life, Party of Five, and Star Trek: Discovery.
Wilson Bentley was a meteorologist best known for his pioneering work in snowflake photography.
Wilson Kipsang is a long-distance runner best known for winning the Berlin Marathon and the London Marathon.
Wilson Ramos is a professional baseball player best known for his time with the Washington Nationals and Tampa Bay Rays.
Wilson Fisk is a fictional character best known as the primary antagonist in Marvel Comics' Daredevil series.
Wilson Chandler is a professional basketball player best known for his time with the Denver Nuggets and Philadelphia 76ers.
Fictional characters named Wilson
The following list of fictional characters named Wilson 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.
Wilson is a fictional character from the film Cast Away. He is a volleyball that becomes the main character's companion during his isolation on a deserted island.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Wilson, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Wilson. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Wilson was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Wilson has ranked as high as #277 nationally, which occurred in 1918, and has been most popular in New York, California, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania.
In the past 5 years the name Wilson has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Wilson 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 Wilson was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Wilson (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| TX | 41 | |
| CA | 40 | |
| NY | 23 | |
| FL | 22 | |
| NC | 19 | |
| TN | 18 | |
| MN | 16 | |
| VA | 15 | |
| GA | 14 | |
| AL | 13 | |
| OH | 13 | |
| MA | 13 | |
| PA | 13 | |
| SC | 13 | |
| IL | 11 |
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 Wilson.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 431 |
| 2023 | 404 |
| 2022 | 387 |
| 2021 | 370 |
| 2020 | 402 |
| 2019 | 417 |
| 2018 | 433 |
| 2017 | 404 |
| 2016 | 439 |
| 2015 | 433 |
| 2014 | 461 |
| 2013 | 391 |
| 2012 | 422 |
| 2011 | 409 |
| 2010 | 429 |
| 2009 | 488 |
| 2008 | 492 |
| 2007 | 473 |
| 2006 | 507 |
| 2005 | 516 |
| 2004 | 547 |
| 2003 | 468 |
| 2002 | 509 |
| 2001 | 463 |
| 2000 | 421 |
| 1999 | 405 |
| 1998 | 400 |
| 1997 | 380 |
| 1996 | 380 |
| 1995 | 410 |
| 1994 | 369 |
| 1993 | 434 |
| 1992 | 513 |
| 1991 | 436 |
| 1990 | 417 |
| 1989 | 323 |
| 1988 | 353 |
| 1987 | 293 |
| 1986 | 287 |
| 1985 | 276 |
| 1984 | 269 |
| 1983 | 249 |
| 1982 | 269 |
| 1981 | 259 |
| 1980 | 284 |
| 1979 | 242 |
| 1978 | 225 |
| 1977 | 213 |
| 1976 | 217 |
| 1975 | 217 |
| 1974 | 206 |
| 1973 | 203 |
| 1972 | 228 |
| 1971 | 270 |
| 1970 | 288 |
| 1969 | 240 |
| 1968 | 227 |
| 1967 | 254 |
| 1966 | 302 |
| 1965 | 251 |
| 1964 | 262 |
| 1963 | 284 |
| 1962 | 288 |
| 1961 | 272 |
| 1960 | 281 |
| 1959 | 313 |
| 1958 | 318 |
| 1957 | 355 |
| 1956 | 305 |
| 1955 | 337 |
| 1954 | 333 |
| 1953 | 359 |
| 1952 | 356 |
| 1951 | 355 |
| 1950 | 352 |
| 1949 | 377 |
| 1948 | 437 |
| 1947 | 439 |
| 1946 | 429 |
| 1945 | 398 |
| 1944 | 455 |
| 1943 | 461 |
| 1942 | 466 |
| 1941 | 450 |
| 1940 | 447 |
| 1939 | 401 |
| 1938 | 390 |
| 1937 | 352 |
| 1936 | 392 |
| 1935 | 341 |
| 1934 | 352 |
| 1933 | 349 |
| 1932 | 350 |
| 1931 | 339 |
| 1930 | 430 |
| 1929 | 400 |
| 1928 | 434 |
| 1927 | 460 |
| 1926 | 464 |
| 1925 | 445 |
| 1924 | 543 |
| 1923 | 532 |
| 1922 | 560 |
| 1921 | 601 |
| 1920 | 583 |
| 1919 | 853 |
| 1918 | 1,381 |
| 1917 | 921 |
| 1916 | 912 |
| 1915 | 767 |
| 1914 | 605 |
| 1913 | 659 |
| 1912 | 496 |
| 1911 | 129 |
| 1910 | 112 |
| 1909 | 106 |
| 1908 | 79 |
| 1907 | 83 |
| 1906 | 68 |
| 1905 | 73 |
| 1904 | 78 |
| 1903 | 63 |
| 1902 | 69 |
| 1901 | 51 |
| 1900 | 89 |
| 1899 | 59 |
| 1898 | 60 |
| 1897 | 44 |
| 1896 | 73 |
| 1895 | 71 |
| 1894 | 43 |
| 1893 | 66 |
| 1892 | 56 |
| 1891 | 58 |
| 1890 | 67 |
| 1889 | 44 |
| 1888 | 62 |
| 1887 | 52 |
| 1886 | 71 |
| 1885 | 59 |
| 1884 | 78 |
| 1883 | 67 |
| 1882 | 82 |
| 1881 | 73 |
| 1880 | 72 |