Wiley
Boy name · #1223 in 2025 · Rare
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: SSA.
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
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: 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.