Westley

Westley - A very unique male name

Westley appeared on the charts for the first time in 1919 on position #1923. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Westley and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Westley? 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 Westley. The baby boy name Westley was given to 418 baby boys in 2025, ranking #619 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 3,508 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Westley peaked in popularity 38 years ago in 1988 on position 565.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Westley, 1-5?

Westley is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Westley is currently topping the baby name charts in Alaska at position #200 - and is the least popular in Illinois at position #1,016.

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 Westley is where you live.

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Westley origin and meaning

English, a variant of Wesley

From Wesley: 'west meadow' — a place name and surname from Old English west and leah, 'clearing'

Westley is the spelling variant of the surname name Wesley, 'west meadow', best known as the farm-boy hero of The Princess Bride. Long a rare shadow of Wesley, it has climbed in the last few years to its highest use ever in 2025, helped by the film's enduring cult following.

Attested etymology

Westley is a 7 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Westley

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

Westly /

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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 Westley

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 Westley 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 Westley?

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

WEST-lee · /ˈwɛstli/

Around the world

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

Spellings and nicknames

• Wesley — The standard form, a separate established and far more common name.
• Westly — A simplified spelling variant.

Nicknames: Wes

Famous bearers

• Westley — Farm boy turned Dread Pirate Roberts, hero of The Princess Bride (Fictional, 1973) Fictional

Style

SurnameLiterary

Why parents choose it

Parents pick Westley over Wesley for the Princess Bride connection — 'as you wish' built into the spelling.

Worth knowing

• Everyone will spell it Wesley, and the extra t invites a lifetime of corrections.