Wisteria
A feminine name derived from the flowering plant, signifying grace and elegance.
Name Census estimates that about 79 living Americans carry the first name Wisteria. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Wisteria today is around 9 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wisteria births was 2023 (18 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wisteria. 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 Wisteria. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
79
~ 1 in 4,338,663 Americans
Peak year
2023
18 babies that year
Average age
9
years old
2024 SSA rank
#10,195
Tracked since 1979
Popularity
Wisteria: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wisteria from the 1970s through to the 2020s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 52 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wisteria 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 Wisteria during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Geography
Where Wisterias live
Origin
Meaning and history of Wisteria
The given name Wisteria has its origins in the botanical world, deriving from the name of a genus of flowering plants in the pea family. This genus, native to parts of Asia, was named "Wisteria" by English botanist Thomas Nuttall in 1818, in honor of his friend Dr. Caspar Wistar, an American anatomist and professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
The wisteria plant, known for its cascading clusters of fragrant, pea-like flowers, has long been admired for its beauty and grace. It's possible that the name Wisteria was first bestowed upon a child as a nod to the plant's delicate and enchanting qualities, though precise records of its earliest usage as a given name are scarce.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the name Wisteria was Wisteria Hutson, born in 1876 in Texas. Her unique name may have been inspired by the then-novel plant genus, suggesting that the name's transition from botanical to personal had occurred by the late 19th century.
In literature, the name Wisteria appears in several works, including the 1902 novel "Wisteria" by American author Zona Gale. This fictional character's name likely contributed to the name's recognition and popularity in the early 20th century.
Another notable Wisteria was Wisteria Fletcher, an American actress born in 1913, who appeared in several films throughout the 1930s and 1940s. Her unique name may have helped her stand out in the entertainment industry during that era.
Wisteria Apperson, born in 1920 in Mississippi, was a pioneering African American educator who dedicated her life to improving educational opportunities for underprivileged children. Her name, reflective of the delicate yet resilient wisteria vine, served as a fitting tribute to her perseverance and commitment.
One of the most recent historical figures to bear the name Wisteria was Wisteria Perry, an American singer and songwriter born in 1942. She was known for her work in the blues and gospel genres, and her distinctive name added to her memorable stage presence.
While the name Wisteria may have originated from the botanical realm, it has since transcended its floral roots, becoming a unique and evocative personal name for individuals across various cultures and time periods.
People
Wisteria + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wisteria 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
Wisteria: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wisteria?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 79 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wisteria 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 4,338,663 US residents.
Is Wisteria a common name?
We classify Wisteria as "Very Rare". It ranks above 61.1% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 80 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wisteria most popular?
The single biggest year for Wisteria was 2023, when 18 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wisteria is about 9 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Wisteria a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wisteria in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.