Wade

Wade - A very unique male name

Wade appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #287. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Wade and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Wade? Our experts and editorial staff have gathered trends and insights for 30,000+ baby names over the last 100 years -- And on this page you will learn everything you ever wanted to know about the name Wade. The baby boy name Wade was given to 934 baby boys in 2025, ranking #342 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 1,570 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Wade peaked in popularity 60 years ago in 1966 on position 182.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Wade, 1-5?

Wade is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Wade is currently topping the baby name charts in Alaska at position #93 - and is the least popular in Massachusetts at position #892.

Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Wade is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Wade origin and meaning

English, transferred surname — derivation disputed

Uncertain — the surname Wade is traced both to wad, 'ford,' and to wadan, 'to go'

Wade began as an English surname, either for a man who lived by a ford or from a verb meaning to go or advance, and scholarship does not settle which. It has been in US data since 1910, peaking in 1970. It is essentially flat since 2020, slipping one rank.

Origin uncertain

Wade is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.

To see famous people named Wade, pop culture references for the name Wade and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.

Similar to Wade

We've found the following names that sound similar to Wade, sorted by popularity.

Wyatt / Woody / Woodie / Wayde / Whit / Witt / Whitt / Wood / Watie / Wyeth /

---

Name statistics

Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better understanding of how popular or unique this name is.

With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually differ a lot from state to state.

Chart position per year (visualized)

Chart position per state (visualized)

Chart position per year (table view)

Chart position per state (table view)

Even more about Wade

These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.

Is Wade a common or unique name?

By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Wade?

1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.

---

Pronunciation

WAYD · /weɪd/

Around the world

No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.

Spellings and nicknames

• Wayde — Y respelling

Famous bearers

• Wade Boggs — Baseball Hall of Fame third baseman (b. 1958) Contemporary
• Wade Robson — Choreographer and dancer (b. 1982) Contemporary

Style

ClassicSurname

Why parents choose it

Wade is a plain-spoken, one-syllable classic that has avoided both boom and bust for a century.

Worth knowing

• Dwayne Wade's surname keeps the sound familiar while the given name itself stays uncommon — a mix some parents like and others find confusing.