Wayland
Boy name · #2285 in 2025 · Uniqueness 43/100
Wayland ranks #2285 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 61 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #2966, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 29,508 boys born in 2025 was named Wayland.
Babies named Wayland per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 141-year story
Wayland first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2023, with 64 babies and a rank of #2221. Names at their peak can keep climbing — or be one trend cycle from the long slide that eventually hits most popular names. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wayland against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wayland in class?
Wayland scores 43 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Wayland is most common
Geography matters for names, and Wayland is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Waylands were MI (8), CA (7), VA (6). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Wayland
Statistically, parents drawn to Wayland tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Holland, Kyland, Winslow, Neyland, and Zealand.
HollandKylandWinslowNeylandZealandTeodoroMarlowRayland
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wayland | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 61 | #2284 |
| 2024 | 39 | #3104 |
| 2023 | 64 | #2221 |
| 2022 | 47 | #2753 |
| 2021 | 50 | #2588 |
| 2020 | 28 | #3734 |
| 2019 | 47 | #2694 |
| 2018 | 47 | #2635 |
| 2017 | 33 | #3378 |
| 2016 | 41 | #2885 |
| 2015 | 39 | #2966 |
| 2014 | 33 | #3297 |
| 2013 | 14 | #5923 |
| 2012 | 28 | #3714 |
| 2011 | 15 | #5675 |
| 2010 | 12 | #6698 |
| 2009 | 20 | #4748 |
| 2008 | 13 | #6393 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4375 |
| 2006 | 20 | #4520 |
| 2005 | 12 | #6226 |
| 2004 | 20 | #4264 |
| 2003 | 13 | #5558 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 11 | #6013 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Wayland a popular boy name?
Wayland ranked #2285 among boys in 2025 with 61 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2966.
When was the name Wayland most popular?
Wayland peaked in 2023, when 64 American boys received the name (ranked #2221 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Wayland?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 29,508 newborn American boys was named Wayland. It scores 43/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.