Wave
In mathematics and physical science, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance of one or more quantities. Periodic waves oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (resting) value at some frequency.
Meaning & Origin of Wave
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
In mathematics and physical science, a wave is a propagating dynamic disturbance of one or more quantities. Periodic waves oscillate repeatedly about an equilibrium (resting) value at some frequency.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
The Story of Wave
As a girl name
Wave first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a girl name in 1897, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 1917: 11 births, good for #2,693 nationwide. About 38% of every Wave on record arrived during the 1910s, its defining decade. Wave last appeared in the published SSA data in 2024, with 5 recorded births — it has not charted nationally since. All told, over 111 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1890s to the 2020s.
As a boy name
Wave first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a boy name in 2020, with 6 babies given the name that year. The name hit its high-water mark in 2026: 41 births, good for #3,043 nationwide. As of 2026, Wave ranks #3,043 for boys with 41 births, with steady use. All told, over 169 Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 2020s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like Wave
Phonetically similar names — useful when Wave is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Waive
- Wav
- Weave
- Wove
- Wive
- Weve
- Wiv
- Wuv
- Weav
- Wev
- Weive
- Wov
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wave
What does the name Wave mean?
How popular is Wave in 2026?
When was Wave most popular?
In which U.S. states is Wave most popular?
Is Wave a unisex name?
What names go well with Wave?
About the name Wave
Wave is a unisex baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 2020 and has accumulated 169 births in the dataset. Wave's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #3,043. Use the chart and map above to compare Wave's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.
Continue exploring
- Top names of 2026 →
- Names of the 2020s →
- Names starting with "W" →
- Browse all boy names →
- Top names of 2026 →
- Browse unisex names →
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.