Boy nameCurrently #58 in the USRising
Wesley
WES-lee//ˈwɛsli//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20246 lettersStarts with W
Meaning & origin
Western meadow
Wesley comes from an English place name meaning 'western meadow' or clearing, and honors John Wesley, founder of Methodism. Its steady, dignified sound has kept it a well-used classic for generations.
Wesley's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Wesley |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 123 |
| 1881 | 102 |
| 1882 | 145 |
| 1883 | 104 |
| 1884 | 120 |
| 1885 | 108 |
| 1886 | 121 |
| 1887 | 115 |
| 1888 | 147 |
| 1889 | 101 |
| 1890 | 136 |
| 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 | 216 |
| 1911 | 266 |
| 1912 | 491 |
| 1913 | 594 |
| 1914 | 796 |
| 1915 | 998 |
| 1916 | 1,033 |
| 1917 | 1,023 |
| 1918 | 1,162 |
| 1919 | 1,108 |
| 1920 | 1,256 |
| 1921 | 1,341 |
| 1922 | 1,297 |
| 1923 | 1,391 |
| 1924 | 1,357 |
| 1925 | 1,277 |
| 1926 | 1,330 |
| 1927 | 1,332 |
| 1928 | 1,198 |
| 1929 | 1,191 |
| 1930 | 1,201 |
| 1931 | 1,130 |
| 1932 | 1,147 |
| 1933 | 1,037 |
| 1934 | 1,132 |
| 1935 | 1,053 |
| 1936 | 1,073 |
| 1937 | 1,080 |
| 1938 | 1,080 |
| 1939 | 1,122 |
| 1940 | 1,145 |
| 1941 | 1,108 |
| 1942 | 1,272 |
| 1943 | 1,283 |
| 1944 | 1,177 |
| 1945 | 1,119 |
| 1946 | 1,262 |
| 1947 | 1,471 |
| 1948 | 1,355 |
| 1949 | 1,422 |
| 1950 | 1,534 |
| 1951 | 1,516 |
| 1952 | 1,606 |
| 1953 | 1,751 |
| 1954 | 1,857 |
| 1955 | 1,935 |
| 1956 | 2,018 |
| 1957 | 2,012 |
| 1958 | 1,962 |
| 1959 | 2,015 |
| 1960 | 2,031 |
| 1961 | 2,016 |
| 1962 | 1,984 |
| 1963 | 2,118 |
| 1964 | 1,984 |
| 1965 | 1,870 |
| 1966 | 1,813 |
| 1967 | 1,602 |
| 1968 | 1,661 |
| 1969 | 1,879 |
| 1970 | 2,080 |
| 1971 | 1,980 |
| 1972 | 1,714 |
| 1973 | 1,572 |
| 1974 | 1,490 |
| 1975 | 1,554 |
| 1976 | 2,170 |
| 1977 | 4,331 |
| 1978 | 3,340 |
| 1979 | 3,276 |
| 1980 | 3,208 |
| 1981 | 3,074 |
| 1982 | 3,078 |
| 1983 | 2,828 |
| 1984 | 2,849 |
| 1985 | 3,092 |
| 1986 | 3,097 |
| 1987 | 3,296 |
| 1988 | 3,536 |
| 1989 | 3,514 |
| 1990 | 3,362 |
| 1991 | 3,309 |
| 1992 | 3,293 |
| 1993 | 3,228 |
| 1994 | 3,064 |
| 1995 | 2,841 |
| 1996 | 2,658 |
| 1997 | 2,388 |
| 1998 | 2,265 |
| 1999 | 2,237 |
| 2000 | 2,232 |
| 2001 | 2,047 |
| 2002 | 2,070 |
| 2003 | 2,153 |
| 2004 | 2,144 |
| 2005 | 2,129 |
| 2006 | 2,129 |
| 2007 | 2,097 |
| 2008 | 2,083 |
| 2009 | 2,239 |
| 2010 | 2,453 |
| 2011 | 2,509 |
| 2012 | 2,676 |
| 2013 | 2,864 |
| 2014 | 3,187 |
| 2015 | 3,276 |
| 2016 | 3,493 |
| 2017 | 3,638 |
| 2018 | 3,710 |
| 2019 | 3,828 |
| 2020 | 3,801 |
| 2021 | 4,349 |
| 2022 | 4,795 |
| 2023 | 4,664 |
| 2024 | 5,231 |
Wesley through the decades
- Wesley peaked in 2024, when 5,231 babies were named Wesley in the US.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Wesley has risen 67% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Wesley currently ranks #58 in the US and is on the rise.
Nicknames
Wes
Variants & spellings
Westley
Famous people named Wesley
- John Wesley — founder of Methodism