Wesley
An English surname from place names meaning western meadow, from Old English west and leah. Its use as a first name follows the Methodist brothers John and Charles Wesley.
Wesley in 2025
Wesley was given to 5,679 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 87th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 584 babies born.
The history of Wesley
Wesley reached its highest point in 2025, when 5,679 babies were given the name, ranking 87th that year.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 250,969 babies have been named Wesley. Half of them were born before 1985, which places the name's centre of gravity with Millennials.
Wesley by decade
| Decade | Babies named Wesley | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,186 | 225 |
| 1890s | 1,370 | 321 |
| 1900s | 1,693 | 356 |
| 1910s | 7,687 | 302 |
| 1920s | 12,970 | 294 |
| 1930s | 11,055 | 306 |
| 1940s | 12,614 | 327 |
| 1950s | 18,207 | 329 |
| 1960s | 18,957 | 329 |
| 1970s | 23,506 | 131 |
| 1980s | 31,570 | 177 |
| 1990s | 28,645 | 209 |
| 2000s | 21,325 | 321 |
| 2010s | 31,639 | 167 |
| 2020s | 28,545 | 87 |
Where Wesley is heading
Wesley has risen 73% over the past decade, from 3,277 babies in 2015 to 5,679 in 2025.
Names like Wesley
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Wesley.