Wilder
Boy name · #431 in 2025 · Distinctive
How old is the name Wilder? In official American birth records, Wilder has been tracked continuously since 1914, giving it 111 years of documented American history.
Wilder ranks #431 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 743 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #958, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,423 boys born in 2025 was named Wilder.
The 111-year story
Wilder first appears in the Social Security records in 1914, when 9 boys received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 890 boys were named Wilder — good for #366 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.
Babies named Wilder per year. Source: Official national birth records.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Wilder against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Wilder in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Wilder is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "distinctive". That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Wilder is most common
Geography matters for names, and Wilder is no exception. Adjusted for how many boys are born in each state, Wilder is most common in SD (2.6 per 1,000), IA (1.4 per 1,000), MN (1.3 per 1,000), ID (1.2 per 1,000), OK (1.1 per 1,000) — against a national average of about 0.5 per 1,000 boys. These are per-capita rates, so they show where Wilder is a genuine regional favorite rather than just where the most babies are born.
Names like Wilder
Statistically, parents drawn to Wilder tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Wylder, Ander, Evander, Ledger, and Alder.
WylderAnderEvanderLedgerAlderMillerDenverKaiser
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Wilder | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 743 | #429 |
| 2024 | 836 | #390 |
| 2023 | 755 | #421 |
| 2022 | 867 | #374 |
| 2021 | 890 | #366 |
| 2020 | 695 | #426 |
| 2019 | 601 | #485 |
| 2018 | 540 | #527 |
| 2017 | 477 | #572 |
| 2016 | 338 | #726 |
| 2015 | 215 | #958 |
| 2014 | 134 | #1313 |
| 2013 | 127 | #1340 |
| 2012 | 93 | #1657 |
| 2011 | 62 | #2129 |
| 2010 | 65 | #2069 |
| 2009 | 38 | #3045 |
| 2008 | 59 | #2237 |
| 2007 | 56 | #2304 |
| 2006 | 37 | #2979 |
| 2005 | 33 | #3091 |
| 2004 | 45 | #2452 |
| 2003 | 26 | #3443 |
| 2002 | 25 | #3450 |
| 2001 | 28 | #3143 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Wilder?
In official American birth records, the name Wilder first appeared in 1914 (over 111 years ago), when 9 newborn boys received the name. It has been tracked in modern national records for 111 years.
Is Wilder a popular boy name?
Wilder ranked #431 among boys in 2025 with 743 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #958.
When was the name Wilder most popular?
Wilder peaked in 2021, when 890 American boys received the name (ranked #366 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Wilder?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,423 newborn American boys was named Wilder. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "distinctive".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.