Wesley
Girl name · #1913 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Wesley? In official American birth records, Wesley has been tracked continuously since 1890, giving it 135 years of documented American history.
Wesley is currently the #1913 girl name in the United States — 101 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #3533, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 17,822 girls born in 2025 was named Wesley.
Babies named Wesley per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 135-year story
Wesley first appears in the Social Security records in 1890, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 133 girls were named Wesley — good for #1577 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 Wesley against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wesley in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wesley is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Wesley will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Wesley is most common
State-level data for Wesley 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 Wesley
Statistically, parents drawn to Wesley tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ridley, Bradley, Blakley, Linley, and Conley.
RidleyBradleyBlakleyLinleyConleyHaizleyKingsleyHuntley
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wesley | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 101 | #1911 |
| 2024 | 87 | #2178 |
| 2023 | 114 | #1780 |
| 2022 | 129 | #1638 |
| 2021 | 133 | #1577 |
| 2020 | 96 | #1965 |
| 2019 | 65 | #2651 |
| 2018 | 83 | #2217 |
| 2017 | 61 | #2779 |
| 2016 | 64 | #2697 |
| 2015 | 44 | #3533 |
| 2014 | 45 | #3486 |
| 2013 | 27 | #5013 |
| 2012 | 28 | #4957 |
| 2011 | 33 | #4353 |
| 2010 | 22 | #5977 |
| 2009 | 28 | #5097 |
| 2008 | 17 | #7408 |
| 2007 | 34 | #4380 |
| 2006 | 26 | #5233 |
| 2005 | 16 | #7138 |
| 2004 | 36 | #3898 |
| 2003 | 30 | #4307 |
| 2002 | 18 | #6129 |
| 2001 | 19 | #5822 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wesley?
In official American birth records, the name Wesley first appeared in 1890 (over 135 years ago), when 5 newborn girls received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Wesley a popular girl name?
Wesley ranked #1913 among girls in 2025 with 101 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3533.
When was the name Wesley most popular?
Wesley peaked in 2021, when 133 American girls received the name (ranked #1577 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wesley?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 17,822 newborn American girls was named Wesley. 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.