Find out how popular the first name Wrigley has been for the last 21 years (from 2003 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Wrigley by gender

Based on the last 21 years of data, Wrigley is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 58% of people named Wrigley being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 33 male babies and 20 female babies born with the name Wrigley.

The history of the first name Wrigley

The name Wrigley is an English surname that originated as a place name, referring to a location called "Wrigley" in the historic county of Lancashire, England. The name itself is derived from the Old English words "wri" meaning "twisted" and "leah" meaning "clearing" or "meadow," suggesting that it may have referred to a twisted or winding meadow or clearing in a wooded area.

While the name Wrigley is primarily known as a surname, it has also been used as a given name, although its origins as a first name are relatively obscure. There is no clear historical evidence of the name being used as a given name in ancient texts, religious scriptures, or early historical records.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wrigley being used as a first name is in the late 19th century. William Wrigley Jr., the founder of the Wrigley Company and the creator of the famous Wrigley's chewing gum, was born in 1861 and given the first name Wrigley, likely derived from his family's surname.

Another notable figure who bore the first name Wrigley was Wrigley Field, an American professional baseball player who played in the early 20th century. Born in 1890, he played for several teams, including the Philadelphia Athletics and the Boston Red Sox.

In the literary world, Wrigley Howard, an American writer and professor, was born in 1905 and published several works of fiction and non-fiction during his lifetime.

Moving into the realm of politics, Wrigley Sivertsen was a Norwegian politician who served as a member of the Storting (the Norwegian parliament) in the 1970s and 1980s.

Finally, Wrigley Fairclough was an English footballer who played as a forward for various clubs in the early 20th century, including Liverpool and Burnley. He was born in 1895 and played professionally until the late 1920s.

While the name Wrigley is not as common as a first name compared to its usage as a surname, these examples highlight its occasional use throughout history, particularly in the United States and England, where the surname Wrigley has its origins.

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 Wrigley was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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