Wesley

Wesley - A unique male name

Wesley appeared on the charts for the first time in 1910 on position #158. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Wesley and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Wesley? 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 Wesley. The baby boy name Wesley was given to 5,578 baby boys in 2025, ranking #52 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 263 baby boys were given this name - making this a unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Wesley peaked in popularity 1 years ago in 2025 on position 52.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Wesley, 1-5?

Wesley is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Wesley is currently topping the baby name charts in Maine at position #6 - and is the least popular in New Mexico at position #114.

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 Wesley is where you live.

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Wesley origin and meaning

English surname and place-name transfer

Western meadow — west + leah, a woodland clearing

Wesley began as a place (a farm or clearing to the west), became the family that lived there, and turned into a first name largely in honour of John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, whose followers named sons for him for generations.

Attested etymology

Wesley is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Wesley

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

Weslee / Wesly / Wasil / Wassillie / Wassil /

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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 Wesley

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 Wesley a common or unique name?

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

What is the number of syllables for the name Wesley?

2 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

WES-lee · /ˈwɛsli/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Westley — The spelling of the Princess Bride hero — an elaborated form that charts separately.

Nicknames: Wes

Famous bearers

• John Wesley — Founder of Methodism — Wesley was his surname; generations of Methodist sons were named in his honour (1703–1791) Historical
• Wesley Snipes — Actor (Blade, White Men Can't Jump) (b. 1962) Contemporary

Style

SurnamePlace name

Why parents choose it

Wesley is a western meadow that became a surname and then, through John Wesley's Methodist movement, a first name given in honour for generations. Parents now choose it as preppy-classic with Wes in reserve.

Worth knowing

• Wesley vs Westley: the Dread Pirate Roberts is a Westley.
• Its spread as a first name runs through a surname — John Wesley bore it second, not first.