Waylon
Meaning of Waylon
Waylon is an American spelling of Wayland, a surname and given name that comes from the Old English name Weland. In Germanic legend, Weland was a master smith of great skill, and the story of his crippling at the hands of a king who wanted to keep him captive was well known in medieval England. The meaning of the name's elements is uncertain; some dictionaries gloss it as "land by the road," from Old English *weg* ("way") and *land*, but that explanation is disputed rather than settled. It is pronounced WAY-luhn, the same in American and British English.
Its best-known bearer is Waylon Jennings (1937–2002), the country singer and songwriter who became a leading figure of the outlaw country movement. The Dutch singer Waylon, born Willem Bijkerk, took his stage name in tribute to Jennings; he finished second at Eurovision in 2014 as part of the Common Linnets and returned as a solo act in 2018.
Waylon was rare for most of the twentieth century, and its earlier high point came in 1980, when it reached 418th place with 387 boys. It drifted downward for two decades, then turned sharply around: it stood at 1,080th in 2000, entered the top 100 in 2020, and in 2025 ranked 56th with 5,408 boys, its highest position on record.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as WAY-luhn (/ˈweɪl.ən/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
States Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Waylon
| Waylon Jennings was an American country singer, songwriter, and actor known as a pioneer of the outlaw country movement. |
| Dutch singer Waylon, born Willem Bijkerk and named after Waylon Jennings, took second at Eurovision 2014 with the Common Linnets and placed 18th solo in 2018. |
| Waylon Malloy Payne is an American country singer songwriter and actor, and the son of Sammi Smith and guitarist Jody Payne. |
