Wells
- #7,491 for girls in 2025, 14 births
- #345 for boys in 2025, 944 births
- Given to boys 97.6% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 2025 · 944 births
- Debut · boys
- 5 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 6,989since 1881
Wells over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Wells has never cracked the top 300 here.
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #7,491 | 14 | #345 | 944 |
| 2024 | #8,443 | 12 | #377 | 869 |
| 2023 | #6,409 | 18 | #447 | 696 |
| 2022 | #7,281 | 15 | #467 | 659 |
| 2021 | #6,691 | 17 | #482 | 621 |
| 2020 | #9,546 | 10 | #545 | 521 |
| 2019 | #6,414 | 18 | #626 | 432 |
| 2018 | #8,146 | 13 | #730 | 327 |
| 2017 | #9,943 | 10 | #916 | 233 |
| 2016 | #8,875 | 12 | #1,413 | 124 |
| 2015 | #13,006 | 7 | #1,729 | 89 |
| 2014 | #13,069 | 7 | #1,714 | 88 |
| 2013 | #14,582 | 6 | #2,182 | 60 |
| 2012 | — | #2,448 | 51 | |
| 2011 | #16,764 | 5 | #3,046 | 37 |
| 2010 | #14,959 | 6 | #3,377 | 32 |
| 2009 | — | #4,922 | 19 | |
| 2008 | — | #5,249 | 17 | |
| 2007 | — | #5,210 | 17 | |
| 2006 | — | #5,072 | 17 | |
| 2005 | — | #4,062 | 22 | |
| 2004 | — | #4,005 | 22 | |
| 2003 | — | #4,426 | 18 | |
| 2002 | — | #6,522 | 10 | |
| 2001 | — | #6,935 | 9 | |
| 2000 | — | #4,785 | 15 | |
| 1999 | — | #6,042 | 10 | |
| 1998 | #14,122 | 5 | #4,650 | 14 |
| 1997 | — | #5,288 | 11 | |
| 1996 | — | #7,971 | 6 | |
| 1995 | — | #5,928 | 9 | |
| 1994 | — | #5,868 | 9 | |
| 1993 | — | #5,360 | 10 | |
| 1992 | — | #4,872 | 11 | |
| 1991 | — | #4,005 | 14 | |
| 1990 | — | #5,382 | 9 | |
| 1989 | — | #6,229 | 7 | |
| 1988 | — | #5,200 | 8 | |
| 1987 | — | #5,459 | 7 | |
| 1986 | — | #3,882 | 11 | |
| 1985 | — | #4,333 | 9 | |
| 1984 | — | #3,701 | 11 | |
| 1983 | — | #4,907 | 7 | |
| 1982 | — | — | ||
| 1981 | — | #5,468 | 6 | |
| 1980 | — | #6,250 | 5 | |
| 1979 | — | #3,810 | 10 | |
| 1978 | — | #4,157 | 8 | |
| 1977 | — | #5,123 | 6 | |
| 1976 | — | #3,095 | 12 | |
| 1975 | — | #4,797 | 6 | |
| 1974 | — | #3,558 | 9 | |
| 1973 | — | #2,716 | 13 | |
| 1972 | — | — | ||
| 1971 | — | #3,146 | 10 | |
| 1970 | — | #2,621 | 13 | |
| 1969 | — | #3,314 | 8 | |
| 1968 | — | #2,445 | 12 | |
| 1967 | — | #3,231 | 7 | |
| 1966 | — | #3,948 | 5 | |
| 1965 | — | — | ||
| 1964 | — | #4,039 | 5 | |
| 1963 | — | #3,318 | 7 | |
| 1962 | — | #3,305 | 7 | |
| 1961 | — | #3,356 | 7 | |
| 1960 | — | #2,685 | 10 | |
| 1959 | — | #3,619 | 6 | |
| 1958 | — | #3,275 | 7 | |
| 1957 | — | #3,257 | 7 | |
| 1956 | — | #3,535 | 6 | |
| 1955 | — | #2,302 | 12 | |
| 1954 | — | #2,044 | 15 | |
| 1953 | — | #3,143 | 7 | |
| 1952 | — | #3,095 | 7 | |
| 1951 | — | #2,495 | 10 | |
| 1950 | — | #2,111 | 13 | |
| 1949 | — | #2,802 | 8 | |
| 1948 | — | #1,943 | 15 | |
| 1947 | — | #2,356 | 11 | |
| 1946 | — | #1,949 | 14 | |
| 1945 | — | #2,009 | 12 | |
| 1944 | — | #2,862 | 7 | |
| 1943 | — | #1,986 | 14 | |
| 1942 | — | #2,386 | 10 | |
| 1941 | — | #2,333 | 10 | |
| 1940 | — | #2,478 | 9 | |
| 1939 | — | #2,050 | 12 | |
| 1938 | — | #1,818 | 15 | |
| 1937 | — | #2,197 | 11 | |
| 1936 | — | — | ||
| 1935 | — | #2,246 | 11 | |
| 1934 | — | #1,860 | 15 | |
| 1933 | — | #2,542 | 9 | |
| 1932 | — | #2,101 | 13 | |
| 1931 | — | #1,843 | 16 | |
| 1930 | — | #1,821 | 17 | |
| 1929 | — | #2,980 | 8 | |
| 1928 | — | #1,960 | 16 | |
| 1927 | — | #1,692 | 21 | |
| 1926 | — | #2,074 | 15 | |
| 1925 | — | #2,193 | 14 | |
| 1924 | — | #1,675 | 22 | |
| 1923 | — | #2,123 | 15 | |
| 1922 | — | #1,434 | 27 | |
| 1921 | — | #1,178 | 37 | |
| 1920 | — | #1,885 | 18 | |
| 1919 | — | #1,408 | 26 | |
| 1918 | — | #1,905 | 17 | |
| 1917 | — | #1,693 | 19 | |
| 1916 | — | #1,549 | 21 | |
| 1915 | — | #1,410 | 23 | |
| 1914 | — | #1,342 | 20 | |
| 1913 | — | #1,580 | 12 | |
| 1912 | — | #1,023 | 20 | |
| 1911 | — | #1,290 | 8 | |
| 1910 | — | #1,421 | 6 | |
| 1909 | — | — | ||
| 1908 | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | — | ||
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | — | ||
| 1904 | — | — | ||
| 1903 | — | — | ||
| 1902 | — | — | ||
| 1901 | — | — | ||
| 1900 | — | #1,162 | 6 | |
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | — | ||
| 1897 | — | — | ||
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | #1,079 | 5 | |
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | — | — | ||
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | #845 | 6 | |
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | #971 | 5 | |
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | #866 | 5 | |
| 1880 | — | — | ||
First appearance
1881
The first year at least five boys were named Wells! It came in at #866, and was given to 5 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1881–1885, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.
Where Wells is popular in 2025
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
Top states · boys
- North Dakota#93 · 1 in 280
- Utah#101 · 1 in 386
- New Hampshire#121 · 1 in 375
- South Dakota#145 · 1 in 427
- Kansas#151 · 1 in 562
Best ever in a state: #93 in North Dakota, 2025.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Dakota | #93 | 12 | 1 in 280 |
| Utah | #101 | 51 | 1 in 386 |
| New Hampshire | #121 | 12 | 1 in 375 |
| South Dakota | #145 | 9 | 1 in 427 |
| Kansas | #151 | 25 | 1 in 562 |
| Montana | #159 | 8 | 1 in 471 |
| District of Columbia | #168 | 5 | 1 in 505 |
| Maine | #172 | 7 | 1 in 549 |
| Nebraska | #173 | 16 | 1 in 551 |
| Colorado | #210 | 31 | 1 in 866 |
| Mississippi | #215 | 14 | 1 in 774 |
| Iowa | #219 | 18 | 1 in 768 |
| North Carolina | #230 | 54 | 1 in 953 |
| Oklahoma | #232 | 20 | 1 in 884 |
| Tennessee | #239 | 37 | 1 in 994 |
| Kentucky | #253 | 21 | 1 in 978 |
| South Carolina | #255 | 22 | 1 in 964 |
| Alabama | #274 | 20 | 1 in 1,076 |
| Michigan | #280 | 35 | 1 in 1,148 |
| Missouri | #281 | 24 | 1 in 1,159 |
| Oregon | #281 | 15 | 1 in 1,004 |
| Wisconsin | #285 | 20 | 1 in 1,172 |
| Connecticut | #296 | 10 | 1 in 1,321 |
| Minnesota | #314 | 19 | 1 in 1,289 |
| Ohio | #326 | 35 | 1 in 1,501 |
| Idaho | #332 | 7 | 1 in 1,233 |
| Illinois | #334 | 32 | 1 in 1,549 |
| Maryland | #344 | 15 | 1 in 1,526 |
| Massachusetts | #347 | 15 | 1 in 1,801 |
| Virginia | #351 | 23 | 1 in 1,620 |
| Washington | #351 | 21 | 1 in 1,562 |
| Louisiana | #376 | 13 | 1 in 1,472 |
| Georgia | #393 | 29 | 1 in 1,732 |
| Indiana | #395 | 18 | 1 in 1,759 |
| Texas | #412 | 85 | 1 in 2,059 |
| Pennsylvania | #415 | 25 | 1 in 2,090 |
| Arkansas | #489 | 6 | 1 in 2,098 |
| Arizona | #491 | 14 | 1 in 2,337 |
| Florida | #569 | 30 | 1 in 3,184 |
| New York | #692 | 21 | 1 in 4,020 |
| New Jersey | #829 | 7 | 1 in 5,681 |
| California | #831 | 29 | 1 in 6,051 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Wells
Momentum · boys
Rising
- 200 spots since 2020 (#545 → #345)
- Biggest jump: 497 spots in 2017
Rise & fade · boys
144 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1881
- Peaked 2025 at #345 (944 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · boys
Top 1,000 for 12 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 12 yrs · run 2017–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 1,809
- Highest: 1 in 1,809 boys born in 2025 were named Wells (0.06%)
Era · boys
The 2020s
- 61.7% of all boys named Wells (4,310) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 16 | #845 (1886) | #894 |
| 1890s | 5 | #1,079 (1895) | #1,079 |
| 1900s | 6 | #1,162 (1900) | #1,162 |
| 1910s | 172 | #1,023 (1912) | #1,462 |
| 1920s | 193 | #1,178 (1921) | #1,919 |
| 1930s | 119 | #1,818 (1938) | #2,053 |
| 1940s | 110 | #1,943 (1948) | #2,310 |
| 1950s | 90 | #2,044 (1954) | #2,888 |
| 1960s | 68 | #2,445 (1968) | #3,293 |
| 1970s | 87 | #2,621 (1970) | #3,669 |
| 1980s | 71 | #3,701 (1984) | #5,048 |
| 1990s | 103 | #4,005 (1991) | #5,537 |
| 2000s | 166 | #4,005 (2004) | #5,119 |
| 2010s | 1,473 | #626 (2019) | #1,818 |
| 2020s | 4,310 | #345 (2025) | #444 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Want to check a specific year?
See where Wells ranked and which names it was up against. Click a point on the chart, or pick a year: