Wesley first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Wesley has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Wesley

A masculine name of English origin meaning "from the western meadow".

Popularity of Wesley by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Wesley is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 98% of people named Wesley being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 4,539 male babies and 114 female babies born with the name Wesley.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 114 baby girls were named Wesley in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 4,539 114
2022 4,644 129
2021 4,213 133
2020 3,699 96
2019 3,758 65
2018 3,626 83
2017 3,571 61
2016 3,429 64
2015 3,229 44
2014 3,143 45
2013 2,836 27
2012 2,648 28
2011 2,473 33
2010 2,429 22
2009 2,211 28
2008 2,065 17
2007 2,062 34
2006 2,103 26
2005 2,113 16
2004 2,108 36
2003 2,123 30
2002 2,051 18
2001 2,028 19
2000 2,216 17
1999 2,207 30
1998 2,242 23
1997 2,358 30
1996 2,616 42
1995 2,797 43
1994 3,033 33
1993 3,172 56
1992 3,237 54
1991 3,267 42
1990 3,316 46
1989 3,457 57
1988 3,478 58
1987 3,245 52
1986 3,043 54
1985 3,044 48
1984 2,800 50
1983 2,788 40
1982 3,030 48
1981 3,042 32
1980 3,165 43
1979 3,236 39
1978 3,308 34
1977 4,304 30
1976 2,148 23
1975 1,533 22
1974 1,467 23

The history of the first name Wesley

The name Wesley is an English given name derived from the Old English words "west" and "leah," meaning "west meadow" or "western clearing." It originated as a surname in the 7th century, referring to someone who lived in a western meadow or clearing.

In the 9th century, the name was recorded as "Westlæh" in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, one of the earliest historical records of England. During the Middle Ages, the spelling evolved to "Westle" and "Westley" before settling on the modern form "Wesley."

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Wesley was Wesley of Dorchester, an English clergyman born around 1590. He served as the vicar of Dorchester, Dorset, and was known for his religious writings.

John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism, is arguably the most famous person with the name Wesley. Born in Epworth, Lincolnshire, England, he played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation and the evangelical revival movement.

Charles Wesley (1707-1788), the younger brother of John Wesley, was also a prominent figure in the Methodist movement. He is renowned for writing over 6,500 hymns, including popular ones like "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing" and "Christ the Lord is Risen Today."

Wesley Clair Mitchell (1874-1948) was an American economist and a leading figure in the development of empirical macroeconomics. He served as the president of the American Economic Association and made significant contributions to the study of business cycles.

Wesley Snipes (born in 1962) is an American actor best known for his roles in films such as "New Jack City," "White Men Can't Jump," and the "Blade" trilogy. He has received several awards and nominations for his acting career.

Wesley Autrey (born in 1957) is an American hero who gained national attention in 2007 when he saved a man who had fallen onto the subway tracks in New York City. His brave actions earned him numerous honors, including the prestigious Citizens Medal from President George W. Bush.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Wesley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Wesley, please contact us.

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"Wesley first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on October 31, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/wesley-meaning-and-history/.

"Wesley first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/wesley-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 31 October, 2024

Wesley first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/wesley-meaning-and-history/.

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