Waverly

Waverly - A very unique female name

Waverly appeared on the charts for the first time in 1994 on position #3397. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Waverly and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Waverly? 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 Waverly. The baby girl name Waverly was given to 200 baby girls in 2025, ranking #1008 on the national girl baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 6,517 baby girls were given this name - making this a very unique female name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Waverly peaked in popularity 6 years ago in 2020 on position 742.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Waverly, 1-5?

Waverly is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Waverly is currently topping the baby name charts in Kansas at position #495 - and is the least popular in California at position #1,940.

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 Waverly is where you live.

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Waverly origin and meaning

English — transferred surname and place name

From an Old English place name, usually interpreted as 'meadow of quivering aspens'

Waverly began as an English place and surname and was used occasionally as a given name long before its modern rise; it appears in US data from 1994 in its current run, peaked in 2022, and has fallen since. Sir Walter Scott's Waverley novels gave the place-name form literary fame. The aspen-meadow derivation is the standard account of the place name.

Attested etymology

Waverly is a 7 letter name with 3 syllables.

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

Similar to Waverly

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

Waverley /

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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 Waverly

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 Waverly 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 female name.

What is the number of syllables for the name Waverly?

3 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.

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Pronunciation

WAY-ver-lee · /ˈweɪvərli/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Waverley — The -ley spelling with an extra e, as in Scott's novels.

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1994, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

SurnamePlace nameLiterary

Why parents choose it

Waverly has a romantic, literary, slightly Southern elegance that carried it to a 2022 peak. It has eased since, which may suit parents who liked it before it felt fashionable.

Worth knowing

• Spelling splits between Waverly and Waverley from the start.
• Associations with Waverly, Iowa and other towns, and with Scott's novels, will come up.