West
West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Meaning & Origin of West
What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.
West is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sun sets on the Earth.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →
Etymology
The Story of West
West first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 13 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2026, when 145 Wests were born — ranking #1,327 that year. As of 2026, West ranks #1,327 for baby boys with 145 births, rising sharply (+50% over the past five years). In total, more than 4K Wests have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.
Popularity Over Time
Popularity by State
Names that sound like West
Phonetically similar names — useful when West is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.
- Weste
- Wast
- Wist
- Wiste
- Wust
- Waste
- Waist
- Wost
- Weist
- Weast
- Weest
- Woest
Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.
Frequently Asked Questions about West
What does the name West mean?
How popular is West in 2026?
When was West most popular?
In which U.S. states is West most popular?
Is West a unisex name?
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About the name West
West is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 4K births in the dataset. West's peak popularity came in 2026 when it ranked #383. Use the chart and map above to compare West'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 →
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.