Wes
Boy name · #715 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
Wes ranks #715 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 376 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1259, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,787 boys born in 2025 was named Wes.
The 145-year story
Wes first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 5 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 376 babies and a rank of #715. 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.
Babies named Wes per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wes against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wes in class?
Wes scores 37 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 Wes is most common
Geography matters for names, and Wes is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Wess were CA (42), TX (25), NY (21), PA (21), MA (17). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Wes
Statistically, parents drawn to Wes tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Jones, Aries, Idris, Mac, and Ames.
JonesAriesIdrisMacAmesWestynOziasWest
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wes | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 376 | #715 |
| 2024 | 346 | #743 |
| 2023 | 310 | #799 |
| 2022 | 315 | #797 |
| 2021 | 268 | #866 |
| 2020 | 216 | #986 |
| 2019 | 217 | #981 |
| 2018 | 191 | #1059 |
| 2017 | 180 | #1086 |
| 2016 | 160 | #1183 |
| 2015 | 143 | #1259 |
| 2014 | 122 | #1389 |
| 2013 | 122 | #1376 |
| 2012 | 94 | #1637 |
| 2011 | 83 | #1755 |
| 2010 | 85 | #1760 |
| 2009 | 66 | #2077 |
| 2008 | 75 | #1916 |
| 2007 | 56 | #2304 |
| 2006 | 66 | #2010 |
| 2005 | 49 | #2365 |
| 2004 | 39 | #2697 |
| 2003 | 37 | #2674 |
| 2002 | 33 | #2817 |
| 2001 | 33 | #2797 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Wes a popular boy name?
Wes ranked #715 among boys in 2025 with 376 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1259.
When was the name Wes most popular?
Wes peaked in 2025, when 376 American boys received the name (ranked #715 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Wes?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,787 newborn American boys was named Wes. It scores 37/100 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.