Wishard
Wishard is an English masculine name derived from the Old English words "wis" (wise) and "hard" (brave or hardy).
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Wishard. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wishard today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wishard births was 1919 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wishard. 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 Wishard. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1919
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1919 SSA rank
#4,159
Tracked since 1919
Popularity
Wishard: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Wishard 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 Wishard 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 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Wishard
The name Wishard has its origins in the Anglo-Saxon language and can be traced back to the 7th century AD. It is derived from the Old English words "wis" meaning wise or learned, and "heard" meaning hardy or brave. Together, the name Wishard can be interpreted as "wise-hardy" or "learned-brave".
In the early medieval period, the name Wishard was primarily used in the regions of present-day England and Scotland, particularly in areas with strong Anglo-Saxon influence. It was a popular name among the nobility and warrior classes, as it conveyed qualities of wisdom, courage, and strength.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wishard can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record compiled in the late 9th century. The Chronicle mentions a warrior named Wishard who fought alongside King Alfred the Great against the Danish invaders.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Wishard appeared in various historical documents and records. In the 11th century, a monk named Wishard was known for his scholarly works and contributions to the religious community at the Benedictine Abbey in Bury St. Edmunds, England.
During the 12th century, a nobleman named Wishard de Morville was a prominent figure in the court of King Henry II of England. He played a significant role in the conflict between the king and Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
In the 13th century, a Scottish nobleman named Wishard de Mowat was granted lands in Aberdeenshire and became the progenitor of the Mowat family. His descendants held influential positions in the Scottish nobility for several generations.
Another notable figure with the name Wishard was a 14th-century English cleric and scholar, Wishard of Bury. He was renowned for his expertise in canon law and served as a judge in ecclesiastical courts.
In the 16th century, a Dutch navigator and explorer named Wishard van der Velde embarked on several voyages to the East Indies and made significant contributions to the mapping of the region.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who bore the name Wishard, reflecting its enduring presence across various cultures and time periods.
People
Wishard + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wishard 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
Wishard: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wishard?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wishard 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 Wishard a common name?
We classify Wishard 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, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wishard most popular?
The single biggest year for Wishard was 1919, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wishard 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 Wishard in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wishard a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wishard 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 Wishard still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wishard 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 Wishard 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 called Wishard?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.