Welles - A very unique male name
Welles at a glance
Welles is ranked #3504 among boy baby names in 2025, with 7 births in 2025. It peaked in 2018 at #3009 and first appeared on the charts in 2017.
- Rank in 2025
- #3504
- Births in 2025
- 7
- Peak year
- 2018 (#3009)
- First appeared
- 2017
- Trend
- #4137 in 2020 → #3504 in 2025 (Rising)
- Popularity
- 1 in 209,469 boys
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 209,469 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Welles peaked in popularity 8 years ago in 2018 on position 3009.
Famous with this name
Orson Welles
Rebecca Welles
Mel Welles
How would you rate Welles, 1-5?
Welles is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Welles is currently topping the baby name charts in New York at position #1,562 - and is the least popular in New York at position #1,562.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 Welles is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Welles origin and meaning
English (transferred surname)
A surname form of Wells — from the Old English for springs and streams, naming someone who lived by a well or spring
Welles as a first name is a recent surname-transfer, in US data only from 2017, peaking at eleven births in 2018. The towering Welles association, filmmaker Orson Welles (1915–1985), holds the name as a surname, so he is an association to be aware of, not a bearer. The extra -e is exactly what distinguishes the given-name use from the commoner Wells.
Attested etymology
Welles is a 6 letter name with 1 syllables.
To see famous people named Welles, pop culture references for the name Welles and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Welles
We've found the following names that sound similar to Welles, sorted by popularity.
Wallace / Willis / Wells / Wilgus / Wilkie / Wilkes /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)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 3504 |
| 2022 | 3356 |
| 2021 | 3149 |
| 2020 | 4137 |
| 2018 | 3009 |
| 2017 | 3729 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| New York | 1562 |
Even more about Welles
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 Welles 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 Welles?
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
WELZ · /wɛlz/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- Wells — The commoner surname spelling, also used as a first name
Famous bearers
None yet — the name first appears in the data in 2017, and its oldest bearers are still young.
Style
Surname
Why parents choose it
Welles has an old-Hollywood, patrician polish — one syllable that sounds like a signature.
Worth knowing
- Orson Welles is a surname association, and a strong one; spelling will default to Wells
