Wilson
Boy name · #672 in 2025 · Rare
How old is the name Wilson? In official American birth records, Wilson has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Wilson ranks #672 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 405 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #620, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 4,444 boys born in 2025 was named Wilson.
Babies named Wilson per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Wilson first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 72 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,381 boys were named Wilson — good for #122 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 Wilson against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wilson in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wilson is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Wilson will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Wilson is most common
Geography matters for names, and Wilson is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Wilson is most common in AL (0.5 per 1,000), KY (0.5 per 1,000), SC (0.5 per 1,000), MO (0.5 per 1,000), TN (0.5 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.3 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Wilson is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Wilson
Statistically, parents drawn to Wilson tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Reuben, Anton, Walton, Edwin, and Henderson.
ReubenAntonWaltonEdwinHendersonWilmerJuniorJulius
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wilson | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 405 | #672 |
| 2024 | 432 | #644 |
| 2023 | 404 | #672 |
| 2022 | 387 | #689 |
| 2021 | 370 | #709 |
| 2020 | 402 | #655 |
| 2019 | 417 | #644 |
| 2018 | 433 | #618 |
| 2017 | 404 | #638 |
| 2016 | 439 | #612 |
| 2015 | 433 | #620 |
| 2014 | 461 | #596 |
| 2013 | 391 | #630 |
| 2012 | 422 | #599 |
| 2011 | 409 | #601 |
| 2010 | 429 | #584 |
| 2009 | 488 | #540 |
| 2008 | 492 | #538 |
| 2007 | 473 | #541 |
| 2006 | 507 | #511 |
| 2005 | 516 | #483 |
| 2004 | 547 | #465 |
| 2003 | 468 | #514 |
| 2002 | 509 | #469 |
| 2001 | 463 | #496 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wilson?
In official American birth records, the name Wilson first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 72 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Wilson a popular boy name?
Wilson ranked #672 among boys in 2025 with 405 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #620.
When was the name Wilson most popular?
Wilson peaked in 1918, when 1,381 American boys received the name (ranked #122 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wilson?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 4,444 newborn American boys was named Wilson. 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.