Wiley
Boy name · #1223 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Wiley? In official American birth records, Wiley has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Wiley is currently the #1223 boy name in the United States — 165 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #1307, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 10,909 boys born in 2025 was named Wiley.
Babies named Wiley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Wiley first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 78 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1921, when 304 boys were named Wiley — good for #338 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Wiley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wiley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wiley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Wiley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Wiley is most common
State-level data for Wiley is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Wiley
Statistically, parents drawn to Wiley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Charley, Warner, Emory, Hartley, and Hardy.
CharleyWarnerEmoryHartleyHardyMonroeNoblePercy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wiley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 165 | #1222 |
| 2024 | 181 | #1155 |
| 2023 | 186 | #1134 |
| 2022 | 179 | #1155 |
| 2021 | 197 | #1076 |
| 2020 | 166 | #1160 |
| 2019 | 157 | #1214 |
| 2018 | 121 | #1443 |
| 2017 | 122 | #1421 |
| 2016 | 126 | #1389 |
| 2015 | 135 | #1307 |
| 2014 | 120 | #1402 |
| 2013 | 117 | #1420 |
| 2012 | 111 | #1462 |
| 2011 | 87 | #1703 |
| 2010 | 103 | #1552 |
| 2009 | 99 | #1604 |
| 2008 | 98 | #1603 |
| 2007 | 77 | #1861 |
| 2006 | 101 | #1501 |
| 2005 | 87 | #1584 |
| 2004 | 75 | #1701 |
| 2003 | 77 | #1630 |
| 2002 | 66 | #1744 |
| 2001 | 61 | #1816 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wiley?
In official American birth records, the name Wiley first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 78 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Wiley a popular boy name?
Wiley ranked #1223 among boys in 2025 with 165 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1307.
When was the name Wiley most popular?
Wiley peaked in 1921, when 304 American boys received the name (ranked #338 that year). Since 1921 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wiley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 10,909 newborn American boys was named Wiley. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.