Wiles
A diminutive of the Old English name William, meaning "resolute protector".
Name Census estimates that about 5 living Americans carry the first name Wiles. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wiles today is around 6 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wiles births was 2020 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wiles. 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 Wiles. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
5
~ 1 in 68,550,868 Americans
Peak year
2020
5 babies that year
Average age
6
years old
2020 SSA rank
#13,941
Tracked since 2020
Popularity
Wiles: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Wiles 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 Wiles during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Wiles
The name Wiles is an English given name derived from the Old English word "wile," meaning "trick" or "stratagem." It originated in medieval England, where it was likely used as a descriptive name for someone known for their cunning or deceptive nature.
In the early Middle Ages, the name appeared in various historical records and documents, often referring to individuals involved in court intrigues or political maneuverings. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wiles can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and tenants commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Throughout the centuries, the name Wiles has been associated with several notable individuals. In the 13th century, Sir Wiles de Montfort, a knight and military commander, played a significant role in the Second Barons' War against King Henry III. Another historical figure bearing the name was Wiles Litchfield (c. 1480-1558), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament during the reign of Henry VIII.
During the Renaissance period, the name Wiles gained literary significance. In William Shakespeare's play "Othello," the character of Iago is often referred to as a master of wiles, reflecting his manipulative and deceitful nature. This association with trickery and cunning further reinforced the name's connotations.
In the 18th century, Wiles Burt (1723-1799), an English architect and surveyor, made notable contributions to the design and construction of several notable buildings in London. Another prominent figure was Wiles Bladen (1685-1718), a British soldier and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Maryland from 1701 to 1718.
Moving into the 19th century, Wiles Fry (1807-1878) was an English painter and illustrator known for his depictions of rural life and landscapes. Wiles Boyce (1804-1889), on the other hand, was a British naval officer and explorer who participated in several Arctic expeditions and made significant contributions to the mapping of the Canadian Arctic.
These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the name Wiles throughout history, reflecting its enduring presence and the diverse backgrounds and professions associated with it.
People
Wiles + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wiles 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
Wiles: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wiles?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 5 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wiles 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 1 in 68,550,868 US residents.
Is Wiles a common name?
We classify Wiles as "Very Rare". It ranks above 18.2% 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 Wiles most popular?
The single biggest year for Wiles was 2020, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wiles is about 6 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 Wiles in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wiles a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wiles 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 Wiles still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wiles 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 Wiles 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 common is the name Wiles?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.