Wesley
Boy name · #52 in 2025 · Uniqueness 23/100
In 2025, 5,578 baby boys were named Wesley, placing it at #52 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #126, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 323 boys born in 2025 was named Wesley.
The 145-year story
Wesley first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 123 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2025, with 5,578 babies and a rank of #52. 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 Wesley per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wesley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wesley in class?
Wesley scores 23 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "popular" band. A low score means broad familiarity: teachers will spell it right, and your child may share it with a classmate. For many families that's a feature, not a bug.
Where Wesley is most common
Geography matters for names, and Wesley is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Wesleys were CA (434), TX (409), OH (258), FL (250), NY (249). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Wesley
Statistically, parents drawn to Wesley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Westley, Weston, Waylon, Lorenzo, and Miles.
WestleyWestonWaylonLorenzoMilesBeauRomanMicah
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wesley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,578 | #52 |
| 2024 | 5,162 | #58 |
| 2023 | 4,555 | #69 |
| 2022 | 4,668 | #70 |
| 2021 | 4,216 | #85 |
| 2020 | 3,706 | #98 |
| 2019 | 3,764 | #99 |
| 2018 | 3,628 | #105 |
| 2017 | 3,577 | #111 |
| 2016 | 3,429 | #117 |
| 2015 | 3,233 | #126 |
| 2014 | 3,143 | #130 |
| 2013 | 2,837 | #139 |
| 2012 | 2,649 | #155 |
| 2011 | 2,476 | #156 |
| 2010 | 2,431 | #159 |
| 2009 | 2,211 | #176 |
| 2008 | 2,067 | #193 |
| 2007 | 2,064 | #195 |
| 2006 | 2,103 | #190 |
| 2005 | 2,113 | #189 |
| 2004 | 2,108 | #184 |
| 2003 | 2,123 | #184 |
| 2002 | 2,051 | #183 |
| 2001 | 2,028 | #184 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Wesley a popular boy name?
Wesley ranked #52 among boys in 2025 with 5,578 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #126.
When was the name Wesley most popular?
Wesley peaked in 2025, when 5,578 American boys received the name (ranked #52 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Wesley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 323 newborn American boys was named Wesley. It scores 23/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "popular".
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.