Wilby
Of Old English origin, shortened form of Willibrord meaning "will helmet".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Wilby. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wilby today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wilby births was 1918 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wilby. 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.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Wilby with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wilby. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1918
8 babies that year
Average age
-
1918 SSA rank
#3,363
Tracked since 1918
Popularity
Wilby: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Wilby 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 Wilby during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 8 | 0 | 8 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Wilby
The name Wilby is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages, derived from the Old English words "wil" meaning "will" or "desire," and "burg" meaning "town" or "fortified place." It was likely a locational surname initially, referring to someone from a town or settlement called Wilby.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wilby can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and landholders commissioned by William the Conqueror. This historical record mentions several places called Wilby, indicating the name's long-standing presence in England.
The name Wilby gained popularity during the Middle Ages, particularly among the English nobility. One notable figure was Sir William Wilby, a 14th-century knight who fought in the Hundred Years' War against France. He was renowned for his bravery and loyalty to the English crown.
In the 16th century, the name Wilby appeared in various literary works, including the plays of William Shakespeare. In "Henry IV, Part 2," a character named Wilby is mentioned, though his role is relatively minor.
During the 17th century, Wilby Reveley was a prominent English architect known for his work on several churches and public buildings in the north of England. He was born in 1680 and died in 1758, leaving a lasting legacy in the architectural landscape of his time.
Another notable figure was Wilby Philips, a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He was born in 1784 and played a significant role in several naval battles against the French, earning recognition for his bravery and leadership.
In the 19th century, Wilby Musgrave was a respected English clergyman and author. Born in 1810, he wrote several religious texts and served as a vicar in various parishes throughout his life until his death in 1888.
While the name Wilby has become less common in modern times, it continues to hold historical significance and serves as a reminder of England's rich cultural heritage.
People
Wilby + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wilby 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
Wilby: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wilby?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wilby 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 Wilby a common name?
We classify Wilby 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, 8 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wilby most popular?
The single biggest year for Wilby was 1918, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wilby 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 Wilby in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wilby a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wilby 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 Wilby still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wilby 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 Wilby 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 Wilby?
Find out how many Americans are named Wilby on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.