Wiley
From an English surname that developed out of place names such as Willey, formed from Old English wilig, 'willow', and leah, a clearing or wood.
Wiley in 2025
Wiley was given to 188 babies in the United States in 2025 — 165 boys and 23 girls, making it the 2,308th most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 17,635 babies born.
The history of Wiley
Wiley reached its highest point in 1921, when 309 babies were given the name, ranking 718th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 314th, in 1882.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 18,794 babies have been named Wiley. Half of them were born before 1943, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Silent Generation.
Wiley by decade
| Decade | Babies named Wiley | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 726 | 314 |
| 1890s | 576 | 538 |
| 1900s | 590 | 584 |
| 1910s | 1,676 | 714 |
| 1920s | 2,647 | 718 |
| 1930s | 2,331 | 687 |
| 1940s | 2,196 | 821 |
| 1950s | 1,752 | 1,022 |
| 1960s | 1,147 | 1,536 |
| 1970s | 700 | 1,962 |
| 1980s | 528 | 2,788 |
| 1990s | 545 | 3,396 |
| 2000s | 836 | 3,340 |
| 2010s | 1,317 | 2,439 |
| 2020s | 1,227 | 2,086 |
Where Wiley is heading
Wiley has risen 25% over the past decade, from 150 babies in 2015 to 188 in 2025.
Names like Wiley
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Wiley.