Wesley
Wesley is a name with an Anglo-Saxon etymology. It is derived from the surname "Westlēah". The "Wes" portion of the name refers to the cardinal direction "West"; the "ley" portion is from "lēah", meaning a field, pasture, meadow, or other clearing in a forest. Thus, the name's origin refers to a "western lēah," or a field to the west.
- English
- Portuguese
Meaning & Origin of Wesley
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
Wesley is a name with an Anglo-Saxon etymology. It is derived from the surname "Westlēah". The "Wes" portion of the name refers to the cardinal direction "West"; the "ley" portion is from "lēah", meaning a field, pasture, meadow, or other clearing in a forest. Thus, the name's origin refers to a "western lēah," or a field to the west.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Cultural Origins (via Behind the Name)
- English
- Portuguese
The Story of Wesley
The earliest SSA record of Wesley as a baby boy name dates back to 1880, when 123 babies received it. 2026 was its biggest year on record, with 5,371 newborns named Wesley — #54 in the national rankings. As of 2026, Wesley ranks #54 for baby boys with 5,371 births, rising sharply (+32% over the past five years). All told, over 253K Americans have carried the name since 1880, from the 1880s to the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Variants & Related Forms of Wesley
Foreign forms, alternate spellings, and nicknames that share roots with Wesley. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Wes
- Weslei
Names that sound like Wesley
Phonetically similar names — useful when Wesley is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wesley
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About the name Wesley
Wesley is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 253K births in the dataset. Wesley's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #54. Use the chart and map above to compare Wesley'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" →
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- 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.