Wilder

Wilder - A very unique male name

Wilder appeared on the charts for the first time in 1992 on position #3027. In this article you'll learn the history of this name, statistics, see famous people named Wilder and more.
Are you having a baby or looking to learn more about the name Wilder? 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 Wilder. The baby boy name Wilder was given to 718 baby boys in 2025, ranking #430 on the national boy baby name top chart.


With that position 1 in 2,042 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Wilder peaked in popularity 5 years ago in 2021 on position 360.

Famous with this name

How would you rate Wilder, 1-5?

Wilder is currently topping the charts in...

Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Wilder is currently topping the baby name charts in Vermont at position #63 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #788.

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 Wilder is where you live.

---

Comment and discuss

---

Wilder origin and meaning

English/German — transferred surname

Transferred surname; from English 'wild' place/surname roots or German Wilder — in modern use chosen for the word wild itself

Wilder as a first name is recent, entering in 1992, and trades on the surname of Laura Ingalls Wilder and Gene Wilder plus the plain English word 'wild'. It peaked in 2021 and has eased slightly since.

Origin uncertain

Wilder is a 6 letter name with 2 syllables.

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

Similar to Wilder

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

Walter / Wylder /

---

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 Wilder

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 Wilder 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 Wilder?

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.

---

Pronunciation

WYL-der · /ˈwaɪldɚ/

Around the world

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

Famous bearers

None yet — the name first appears in the data in 1992, and its oldest bearers are still young.

Style

SurnameWord nameModern coinage

Why parents choose it

Parents like its untamed, literary, outdoorsy energy in a familiar surname shape.

Worth knowing

• It is literally the comparative of 'wild', so expect 'wilder than what?' jokes, and most associations are surnames, not first names.