Wesley
#1,911 for girls in 2025, 101 births · #52 for boys in 2025, 5,578 births
Given to boys 98.7% of the time
Showing
- Peak · boys
- 2025 · 5,578 births
- Debut · boys
- 123 births
- In top 100 · boys
- 18 yrsof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 247,713since 1880
Wesley over time
boys
Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.
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 | #1,911 | 101 | #52 | 5,578 |
| 2024 | #2,178 | 87 | #58 | 5,162 |
| 2023 | #1,780 | 114 | #69 | 4,555 |
| 2022 | #1,638 | 129 | #70 | 4,668 |
| 2021 | #1,577 | 133 | #85 | 4,216 |
| 2020 | #1,965 | 96 | #98 | 3,706 |
| 2019 | #2,651 | 65 | #99 | 3,764 |
| 2018 | #2,217 | 83 | #105 | 3,628 |
| 2017 | #2,779 | 61 | #111 | 3,577 |
| 2016 | #2,697 | 64 | #117 | 3,429 |
| 2015 | #3,533 | 44 | #126 | 3,233 |
| 2014 | #3,486 | 45 | #130 | 3,143 |
| 2013 | #5,013 | 27 | #139 | 2,837 |
| 2012 | #4,957 | 28 | #155 | 2,649 |
| 2011 | #4,353 | 33 | #156 | 2,476 |
| 2010 | #5,977 | 22 | #159 | 2,431 |
| 2009 | #5,097 | 28 | #176 | 2,211 |
| 2008 | #7,408 | 17 | #193 | 2,067 |
| 2007 | #4,380 | 34 | #195 | 2,064 |
| 2006 | #5,233 | 26 | #190 | 2,103 |
| 2005 | #7,138 | 16 | #189 | 2,113 |
| 2004 | #3,898 | 36 | #184 | 2,108 |
| 2003 | #4,307 | 30 | #184 | 2,123 |
| 2002 | #6,129 | 18 | #183 | 2,051 |
| 2001 | #5,822 | 19 | #184 | 2,028 |
| 2000 | #6,208 | 17 | #171 | 2,216 |
| 1999 | #3,895 | 30 | #168 | 2,207 |
| 1998 | #4,636 | 23 | #152 | 2,242 |
| 1997 | #3,716 | 30 | #144 | 2,358 |
| 1996 | #2,849 | 42 | #137 | 2,616 |
| 1995 | #2,788 | 43 | #129 | 2,798 |
| 1994 | #3,372 | 33 | #118 | 3,031 |
| 1993 | #2,289 | 56 | #113 | 3,172 |
| 1992 | #2,386 | 54 | #111 | 3,239 |
| 1991 | #2,790 | 42 | #106 | 3,267 |
| 1990 | #2,571 | 46 | #107 | 3,316 |
| 1989 | #2,147 | 57 | #98 | 3,457 |
| 1988 | #2,032 | 58 | #92 | 3,478 |
| 1987 | #2,098 | 52 | #92 | 3,244 |
| 1986 | #2,003 | 54 | #96 | 3,043 |
| 1985 | #2,172 | 48 | #94 | 3,043 |
| 1984 | #2,018 | 50 | #101 | 2,799 |
| 1983 | #2,360 | 40 | #101 | 2,788 |
| 1982 | #2,115 | 48 | #98 | 3,031 |
| 1981 | #2,774 | 32 | #99 | 3,040 |
| 1980 | #2,278 | 43 | #95 | 3,165 |
| 1979 | #2,387 | 39 | #89 | 3,237 |
| 1978 | #2,516 | 34 | #83 | 3,306 |
| 1977 | #2,715 | 30 | #66 | 4,302 |
| 1976 | #3,095 | 23 | #119 | 2,147 |
| 1975 | #3,155 | 22 | #158 | 1,531 |
| 1974 | #3,008 | 23 | #165 | 1,467 |
| 1973 | #3,481 | 18 | #158 | 1,554 |
| 1972 | #2,903 | 23 | #154 | 1,690 |
| 1971 | #3,166 | 21 | #151 | 1,959 |
| 1970 | #3,110 | 21 | #152 | 2,059 |
| 1969 | #3,199 | 18 | #157 | 1,861 |
| 1968 | #3,057 | 18 | #165 | 1,642 |
| 1967 | #3,340 | 15 | #167 | 1,587 |
| 1966 | #4,198 | 10 | #157 | 1,803 |
| 1965 | #4,202 | 10 | #160 | 1,860 |
| 1964 | #3,379 | 15 | #162 | 1,969 |
| 1963 | #2,864 | 19 | #157 | 2,100 |
| 1962 | #2,668 | 21 | #162 | 1,963 |
| 1961 | #3,460 | 14 | #163 | 2,002 |
| 1960 | #4,184 | 10 | #164 | 2,020 |
| 1959 | #2,980 | 16 | #160 | 2,000 |
| 1958 | #4,193 | 9 | #160 | 1,954 |
| 1957 | #2,651 | 19 | #160 | 1,993 |
| 1956 | #3,321 | 13 | #157 | 2,004 |
| 1955 | #3,778 | 10 | #151 | 1,925 |
| 1954 | #3,157 | 13 | #155 | 1,844 |
| 1953 | #2,516 | 18 | #159 | 1,733 |
| 1952 | #3,201 | 12 | #165 | 1,594 |
| 1951 | #2,577 | 16 | #171 | 1,500 |
| 1950 | #4,315 | 7 | #165 | 1,527 |
| 1949 | #2,514 | 16 | #166 | 1,406 |
| 1948 | #2,255 | 19 | #169 | 1,336 |
| 1947 | #3,061 | 12 | #163 | 1,459 |
| 1946 | #2,597 | 14 | #167 | 1,248 |
| 1945 | #2,598 | 12 | #162 | 1,107 |
| 1944 | #3,378 | 8 | #159 | 1,169 |
| 1943 | #2,251 | 16 | #155 | 1,267 |
| 1942 | #1,981 | 19 | #155 | 1,253 |
| 1941 | #2,018 | 17 | #158 | 1,091 |
| 1940 | #2,029 | 16 | #152 | 1,129 |
| 1939 | #2,922 | 9 | #146 | 1,113 |
| 1938 | #3,847 | 6 | #150 | 1,074 |
| 1937 | #2,101 | 15 | #146 | 1,065 |
| 1936 | #2,386 | 12 | #145 | 1,061 |
| 1935 | #2,305 | 13 | #148 | 1,040 |
| 1934 | #2,187 | 14 | #142 | 1,118 |
| 1933 | #3,406 | 7 | #147 | 1,030 |
| 1932 | #2,490 | 12 | #144 | 1,135 |
| 1931 | #2,105 | 15 | #143 | 1,115 |
| 1930 | #2,202 | 15 | #142 | 1,186 |
| 1929 | #2,921 | 10 | #143 | 1,182 |
| 1928 | #2,194 | 16 | #143 | 1,181 |
| 1927 | #3,561 | 8 | #134 | 1,324 |
| 1926 | #3,046 | 10 | #131 | 1,320 |
| 1925 | #2,778 | 12 | #135 | 1,265 |
| 1924 | #3,144 | 10 | #131 | 1,347 |
| 1923 | #2,732 | 12 | #125 | 1,379 |
| 1922 | #3,152 | 10 | #127 | 1,287 |
| 1921 | #3,400 | 9 | #127 | 1,332 |
| 1920 | #2,731 | 12 | #129 | 1,244 |
| 1919 | #3,219 | 9 | #135 | 1,099 |
| 1918 | #2,102 | 17 | #137 | 1,145 |
| 1917 | #3,092 | 9 | #136 | 1,014 |
| 1916 | #3,552 | 7 | #135 | 1,026 |
| 1915 | #3,134 | 8 | #133 | 990 |
| 1914 | #2,876 | 7 | #131 | 789 |
| 1913 | #2,164 | 9 | #133 | 585 |
| 1912 | #2,634 | 6 | #134 | 485 |
| 1911 | #2,463 | 5 | #131 | 261 |
| 1910 | #1,935 | 7 | #152 | 209 |
| 1909 | — | #136 | 197 | |
| 1908 | — | #135 | 185 | |
| 1907 | — | #125 | 191 | |
| 1906 | — | #135 | 155 | |
| 1905 | — | #123 | 174 | |
| 1904 | — | #127 | 166 | |
| 1903 | — | #126 | 153 | |
| 1902 | — | #133 | 145 | |
| 1901 | — | #115 | 146 | |
| 1900 | — | #127 | 181 | |
| 1899 | — | #134 | 119 | |
| 1898 | — | #123 | 151 | |
| 1897 | — | #134 | 121 | |
| 1896 | — | #120 | 145 | |
| 1895 | — | #112 | 156 | |
| 1894 | — | #113 | 149 | |
| 1893 | — | #119 | 136 | |
| 1892 | — | #120 | 142 | |
| 1891 | — | #120 | 115 | |
| 1890 | #1,338 | 5 | #117 | 131 |
| 1889 | — | #144 | 101 | |
| 1888 | — | #113 | 147 | |
| 1887 | — | #116 | 115 | |
| 1886 | — | #120 | 121 | |
| 1885 | — | #128 | 108 | |
| 1884 | — | #121 | 120 | |
| 1883 | — | #122 | 104 | |
| 1882 | — | #101 | 145 | |
| 1881 | — | #117 | 102 | |
| 1880 | — | #109 | 123 | |
First appearance
1880
In the first year the SSA published name data, Wesley was already there! It came in at #109, and was given to 123 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1880–1894, when fewer than 150 boys a year got the name.
Where Wesley is popular in 1979
- 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
- Alabama#44 · 1 in 209
- Kentucky#51 · 1 in 222
- Arkansas#53 · 1 in 212
- Tennessee#55 · 1 in 243
- North Carolina#56 · 1 in 254
Best ever in a state: #6 in Vermont, 2021.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | #44 | 129 | 1 in 209 |
| Kentucky | #51 | 127 | 1 in 222 |
| Arkansas | #53 | 75 | 1 in 212 |
| Tennessee | #55 | 135 | 1 in 243 |
| Georgia | #56 | 143 | 1 in 275 |
| North Carolina | #56 | 148 | 1 in 254 |
| Oklahoma | #60 | 83 | 1 in 257 |
| Virginia | #63 | 101 | 1 in 329 |
| Indiana | #72 | 105 | 1 in 391 |
| Mississippi | #73 | 60 | 1 in 315 |
| Iowa | #77 | 60 | 1 in 369 |
| West Virginia | #77 | 37 | 1 in 376 |
| South Carolina | #78 | 55 | 1 in 383 |
| Missouri | #79 | 84 | 1 in 437 |
| Hawaii | #80 | 17 | 1 in 379 |
| Utah | #80 | 49 | 1 in 388 |
| Florida | #82 | 116 | 1 in 472 |
| Louisiana | #83 | 85 | 1 in 411 |
| Montana | #83 | 16 | 1 in 363 |
| Ohio | #90 | 144 | 1 in 558 |
| Texas | #91 | 304 | 1 in 406 |
| Nevada | #94 | 10 | 1 in 495 |
| Wyoming | #94 | 7 | 1 in 509 |
| Idaho | #95 | 18 | 1 in 468 |
| Pennsylvania | #98 | 119 | 1 in 639 |
| Colorado | #99 | 41 | 1 in 531 |
| Connecticut | #99 | 28 | 1 in 618 |
| Alaska | #101 | 8 | 1 in 442 |
| Kansas | #102 | 30 | 1 in 561 |
| New Mexico | #102 | 23 | 1 in 446 |
| Washington | #104 | 51 | 1 in 581 |
| Oregon | #106 | 30 | 1 in 645 |
| Rhode Island | #107 | 7 | 1 in 757 |
| Minnesota | #117 | 35 | 1 in 889 |
| Wisconsin | #117 | 39 | 1 in 885 |
| Massachusetts | #118 | 37 | 1 in 917 |
| South Dakota | #118 | 8 | 1 in 665 |
| Illinois | #123 | 111 | 1 in 754 |
| Arizona | #125 | 32 | 1 in 654 |
| Michigan | #127 | 73 | 1 in 918 |
| Nebraska | #130 | 14 | 1 in 854 |
| New Hampshire | #131 | 5 | 1 in 1,138 |
| California | #137 | 269 | 1 in 668 |
| North Dakota | #139 | 6 | 1 in 920 |
| Maryland | #140 | 27 | 1 in 839 |
| Maine | #154 | 6 | 1 in 1,192 |
| District of Columbia | #161 | 10 | 1 in 789 |
| New Jersey | #195 | 30 | 1 in 1,415 |
| New York | #197 | 82 | 1 in 1,354 |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
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 Wesley
Momentum · boys
Rising
- 6 spots since 2024 (#58 → #52)
- 46 spots since 2020 (#98 → #52)
- 74 spots since 2015 (#126 → #52)
- Biggest jump: 53 spots in 1977 (#119 → #66)
- Biggest drop: 31 spots in 1889 (#113 → #144)
Rise & fade · boys
145 yrs to peak
- Debuted 1880
- Peaked 2025 at #52 (5,578 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 18 yrs
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: 18 yrs · run 2019–2025
- Top 1,000: 146 yrs · run 1880–2025
Share of babies · boys
1 in 306
- Highest: 1 in 306 boys born in 2025 were named Wesley (0.33%)
Era · boys
The 2010s
- 12.6% of all boys named Wesley (31,167) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 1,186 | #101 (1882) | #119 |
| 1890s | 1,365 | #112 (1895) | #121 |
| 1900s | 1,693 | #115 (1901) | #128 |
| 1910s | 7,603 | #131 (1914) | #136 |
| 1920s | 12,861 | #125 (1923) | #133 |
| 1930s | 10,937 | #142 (1930) | #145 |
| 1940s | 12,465 | #152 (1940) | #161 |
| 1950s | 18,074 | #151 (1955) | #160 |
| 1960s | 18,807 | #157 (1963) | #161 |
| 1970s | 23,252 | #66 (1977) | #130 |
| 1980s | 31,088 | #92 (1988) | #97 |
| 1990s | 28,246 | #106 (1991) | #129 |
| 2000s | 21,084 | #171 (2000) | #185 |
| 2010s | 31,167 | #99 (2019) | #130 |
| 2020s | 27,885 | #52 (2025) | #72 |
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.
Wesley in 1979
girls
#2,387
39 births · 1 in 41,161 girls
boys
#89
3,237 births · 1 in 532 boys
Top girls' names in 1979
Top boys' names in 1979
More about 1979
girls
1,605,268 girls got a published name in 1979; 1 in 41,161 of them was named Wesley, which outranked 80.1% of the 11,972 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 17.0% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Wesley
- #2,343Tifany40
- #2,343Tonie40
- #2,343Turquoise40
- #2,387Wesley39
- #2,387Annalee39
- #2,387Aura39
- #2,387Becki39
- #2,430Aaliyah38
- #2,430Aleasha38
- #2,430Alejandrina38
Tied with 42 names at #2,387; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,721,536 boys got a published name in 1979; 1 in 532 of them was named Wesley, which outranked 98.7% of the 7,071 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 24.1% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Ranked beside Wesley
Biggest movers since 1978
Risers
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.