Wheeler
Boy name · #3452 in 2025 · Uniqueness 49/100
Wheeler ranks #3452 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 33 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #4890, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 54,545 boys born in 2025 was named Wheeler.
Babies named Wheeler per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Wheeler first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 13 boys received the name. Its all-time peak is essentially right now: 2024, with 45 babies and a rank of #2835. 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 Wheeler against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wheeler in class?
Wheeler scores 49 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 Wheeler is most common
State-level data for Wheeler is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Wheeler
Statistically, parents drawn to Wheeler tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Wrangler, Kessler, Khyler, Kailer, and Whittaker.
WranglerKesslerKhylerKailerWhittakerRainierCutlerProsper
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wheeler | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | #3450 |
| 2024 | 45 | #2835 |
| 2023 | 38 | #3177 |
| 2022 | 34 | #3412 |
| 2021 | 33 | #3427 |
| 2020 | 17 | #5235 |
| 2019 | 37 | #3143 |
| 2018 | 34 | #3301 |
| 2017 | 22 | #4466 |
| 2016 | 20 | #4776 |
| 2015 | 19 | #4890 |
| 2014 | 21 | #4538 |
| 2013 | 16 | #5404 |
| 2012 | 17 | #5256 |
| 2011 | 17 | #5200 |
| 2010 | 17 | #5251 |
| 2009 | 19 | #4922 |
| 2008 | 14 | #6070 |
| 2007 | 7 | #9788 |
| 2006 | 7 | #9585 |
| 2005 | 6 | #10151 |
| 2004 | 14 | #5492 |
| 2003 | 11 | #6258 |
| 2002 | 9 | #7055 |
| 2001 | 10 | #6445 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Wheeler a popular boy name?
Wheeler ranked #3452 among boys in 2025 with 33 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4890.
When was the name Wheeler most popular?
Wheeler peaked in 2024, when 45 American boys received the name (ranked #2835 that year). That peak is current — the name is at or near its all-time high right now.
How rare is the name Wheeler?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 54,545 newborn American boys was named Wheeler. It scores 49/100 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.