Wakefield
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield, which had a 2024 population of 367,666, the 27th most populous district in England.
Meaning & Origin of Wakefield
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Wakefield is a cathedral city in West Yorkshire, England located on the River Calder. The city had a population of 109,766 in the 2021 census, up from 99,251 in the 2011 census. The city is the administrative centre of the wider Metropolitan Borough of Wakefield, which had a 2024 population of 367,666, the 27th most populous district in England.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Wakefield
Wakefield first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1918, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2018, when 7 Wakefields were born — ranking #9,668 that year. As of 2026, Wakefield ranks #9,668 for baby boys with 7 births, with steady use. In total, more than 22 Wakefields have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Notable people named Wakefield
A small selection from Wikipedia. Tap "Read more" below to see the full list on Wikipedia.
- See also: List of people from Wakefield Joseph Aspdin inventor of Portland Cement
- Sarah Whitley was born in Wakefield in 1816 and is credited as the earliest-born woman known to have appeared in a film, featuring in the Roundhay Garden Scene shot in 1888.
- Novelist George Gissing was born in Wakefield in 1857; his childhood home in Thompson's Yard is maintained by The Gissing Trust.
- Sculptor Barbara Hepworth was born in Wakefield in 1903. The art gallery The Hepworth Wakefield is named after her which features her work, alongside that of other local artists such as Henry Moore .
- Dame Marjorie Williamson was born in Wakefield in 1913. She was an academic, educator, physicist and university administrator.
- David Storey , born in Wakefield in 1933, was a novelist and playwright, whose 1960 This Sporting Life , was made into a 1963 film which was shot largely on location in the city.
- Anne Treisman (née Taylor, 1935–2018), a psychologist who specialised in cognitive psychology , was born in Wakefield.
- Former Archbishop of York, David Hope, Baron Hope of Thornes , was born in 1940 in Thornes.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Names that sound like Wakefield
Phonetically similar names — useful when Wakefield is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Lakefield
- Wakeful
- Hayfield
- Whitfield
- Warfield
- Waffled
- Wingfield
- Whitefield
- Mayfield
- Backfield
- Layfield
- Rayfield
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wakefield
What does the name Wakefield mean?
How popular is Wakefield in 2026?
When was Wakefield most popular?
Is Wakefield a unisex name?
What names go well with Wakefield?
About the name Wakefield
Wakefield is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1918 and has accumulated 22 births in the dataset. Wakefield's peak popularity came in 2018 when it ranked #9,668. Use the chart and map above to compare Wakefield's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2018 →
- Names of the 2010s →
- Names starting with "W" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
Data sources
- Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
- Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
- Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
- Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
- Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .
Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.