Welles
Boy name · #2949 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Welles? In official American birth records, Welles has been tracked continuously since 1915, giving it 110 years of documented American history.
In 2025, 42 baby boys were named Welles, placing it at #2949 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #4890, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 42,857 boys born in 2025 was named Welles.
Babies named Welles per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 110-year story
Welles first appears in the Social Security records in 1915, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 56 boys were named Welles — good for #2410 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Welles against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Welles in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Welles is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Welles will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Welles is most common
State-level data for Welles is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Welles
Statistically, parents drawn to Welles tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Stiles, Idrees, Styles, Hades, and Wolfe.
StilesIdreesStylesHadesWolfeWarisAchillesWitten
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Welles | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 42 | #2941 |
| 2024 | 32 | #3524 |
| 2023 | 31 | #3629 |
| 2022 | 43 | #2919 |
| 2021 | 56 | #2410 |
| 2020 | 33 | #3344 |
| 2019 | 40 | #2993 |
| 2018 | 46 | #2674 |
| 2017 | 46 | #2672 |
| 2016 | 32 | #3441 |
| 2015 | 19 | #4890 |
| 2014 | 15 | #5733 |
| 2013 | 10 | #7537 |
| 2012 | 10 | #7559 |
| 2010 | 5 | #12231 |
| 1917 | 5 | #3981 |
| 1915 | 5 | #3825 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Welles?
In official American birth records, the name Welles first appeared in 1915 (over 110 years ago), when 5 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 110 years.
Is Welles a popular boy name?
Welles ranked #2949 among boys in 2025 with 42 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #4890.
When was the name Welles most popular?
Welles peaked in 2021, when 56 American boys received the name (ranked #2410 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Welles?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 42,857 newborn American boys was named Welles. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.