Watler
A masculine name of uncertain origin, potentially deriving from a nickname.
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Watler. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Watler today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Watler births was 1927 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Watler. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Watler. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1927
5 babies that year
Average age
-
1927 SSA rank
#4,777
Tracked since 1927
Popularity
Watler: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Watler by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Watler during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Watler
The name Watler is believed to have originated in the Middle Ages, derived from the Old English words "wat" and "ler," which together meant "one who leads the way through water." This suggests that the name may have originally been associated with occupations or roles related to navigating waterways or guiding travelers across bodies of water.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Watler can be traced back to medieval England, where it was used as a given name for men. It is thought to have been particularly popular in regions with significant rivers or coastal areas, such as the counties of Essex and Kent.
One of the earliest known individuals to bear the name Watler was a ferryman who lived in the village of Tilbury, Essex, in the late 12th century. Local records from that time mention a man named Watler who operated a ferry service across the River Thames.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named Watler de Burgh was a prominent landowner and nobleman in the county of Kent. He is recorded as having played a role in the negotiations between King Henry III and the barons during the Second Barons' War.
Another historical figure named Watler was a monk who lived in the Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds in Suffolk during the 14th century. He is known for his contributions to the abbey's scriptorium, where he worked as a scribe and illuminator of manuscripts.
In the 15th century, a man named Watler Raleigh was a successful merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He is mentioned in several contemporary accounts as being involved in the thriving maritime trade with continental Europe.
During the Tudor period, a courtier named Watler Devereux served as a gentleman of the privy chamber to King Henry VIII. He is recorded as having accompanied the king on several royal progresses and hunting expeditions.
While the name Watler has not been as widely used in more recent centuries, it remains a part of the historical record and reflects the cultural and linguistic heritage of medieval England.
People
Watler + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Watler as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Watler: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Watler?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Watler going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Watler a common name?
We classify Watler as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Watler most popular?
The single biggest year for Watler was 1927, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Watler is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Watler in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Watler a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Watler in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Watler still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Watler in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Watler can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people are named Watler?
Find out how many people have the name Watler on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.