Wilbur
Boy name · #3950 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Wilbur? In official American birth records, Wilbur has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Wilbur ranks #3950 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 27 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #3591, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 boys born in 2025 was named Wilbur.
The 145-year story
Wilbur first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 82 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,800 boys were named Wilbur — good for #97 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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.
Babies named Wilbur per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wilbur against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wilbur in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wilbur is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Wilbur will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Wilbur is most common
State-level data for Wilbur 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 Wilbur
Statistically, parents drawn to Wilbur tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Wilfred, Weldon, Willard, Russel, and Lester.
WilfredWeldonWillardRusselLesterClaudeRufusWillis
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wilbur | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #3949 |
| 2024 | 42 | #2958 |
| 2023 | 33 | #3474 |
| 2022 | 30 | #3691 |
| 2021 | 25 | #4118 |
| 2020 | 21 | #4540 |
| 2019 | 37 | #3143 |
| 2018 | 28 | #3793 |
| 2017 | 28 | #3781 |
| 2016 | 25 | #4098 |
| 2015 | 30 | #3591 |
| 2014 | 23 | #4263 |
| 2013 | 22 | #4313 |
| 2012 | 15 | #5720 |
| 2011 | 21 | #4509 |
| 2010 | 22 | #4366 |
| 2009 | 24 | #4160 |
| 2008 | 24 | #4145 |
| 2007 | 28 | #3687 |
| 2006 | 24 | #4001 |
| 2005 | 19 | #4464 |
| 2004 | 26 | #3534 |
| 2003 | 29 | #3186 |
| 2002 | 27 | #3259 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wilbur?
In official American birth records, the name Wilbur first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 82 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Wilbur a popular boy name?
Wilbur ranked #3950 among boys in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3591.
When was the name Wilbur most popular?
Wilbur peaked in 1918, when 1,800 American boys received the name (ranked #97 that year). Since 1918 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wilbur?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American boys was named Wilbur. 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.