At a glance
- In short
- Wes began life as the breezy short form of Wesley—Old English for “western meadow”—yet somewhere between covered-wagon days and the multiplex, it learned to stand on its own two boots.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #715 of boy names
- Babies in 2025
- 376 (0.020% of boys)
- Trend
- Rising #986 in 2020 to #715 in 2025
- Peak
- #627 in 1963
- First recorded
- 1880
Meaning of Wes
Wes began life as the breezy short form of Wesley—Old English for “western meadow”—yet somewhere between covered-wagon days and the multiplex, it learned to stand on its own two boots. Today the name carries a sun-drenched, open-road spirit that nods to the American frontier while keeping one foot planted in polished suburbia. Pop culture has only burnished its shine: filmmaker Wes Anderson supplies the quirky charm, horror maestro Wes Craven lends a dash of edge, and football great Wes Welker proves it can sprint the length of the field. Though its U.S. ranking hovers around the 600 mark, Wes feels anything but obscure—more like that friendly neighbor who pops by with fresh lemonade and a joke in his pocket. In short, Wes is compact, upbeat, and effortlessly cool, offering parents a name that grows from sandbox to boardroom without ever losing its prairie-wide smile.
How to pronounce Wes
English
- Pronounced wes /wɛs/
Popularity of Wes in the U.S.
Wes was the #715 boy name in the U.S. in 2025, with 376 babies. It peaked at #627 in 1963 and has been in the top 1,000 since 2019.
- Rank among U.S. boy names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1880–2025 106 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 376 | 715 | ▲ 28 |
| 2024 | 346 | 743 | ▲ 56 |
| 2023 | 310 | 799 | ▼ 2 |
| 2022 | 315 | 797 | ▲ 69 |
| 2021 | 268 | 866 | ▲ 120 |
| 2020 | 216 | 986 | ▼ 5 |
| 2019 | 217 | 981 | ▲ 78 |
| 2018 | 191 | 1,059 | ▲ 27 |
| 2017 | 180 | 1,086 | ▲ 97 |
| 2016 | 160 | 1,183 | ▲ 76 |
| 2015 | 143 | 1,259 | ▲ 130 |
| 2014 | 122 | 1,389 | ▼ 13 |
| 2013 | 122 | 1,376 | ▲ 261 |
| 2012 | 94 | 1,637 | ▲ 118 |
| 2011 | 83 | 1,755 | ▲ 5 |
| 2010 | 85 | 1,760 | ▲ 317 |
| 2009 | 66 | 2,077 | ▼ 161 |
| 2008 | 75 | 1,916 | ▲ 388 |
| 2007 | 56 | 2,304 | ▼ 294 |
| 2006 | 66 | 2,010 | ▲ 355 |
| 2005 | 49 | 2,365 | ▲ 332 |
| 2004 | 39 | 2,697 | ▼ 23 |
| 2003 | 37 | 2,674 | ▲ 143 |
| 2002 | 33 | 2,817 | ▼ 20 |
| 2001 | 33 | 2,797 | ▲ 422 |
| 2000 | 26 | 3,219 | ▲ 615 |
| 1999 | 19 | 3,834 | ▼ 983 |
| 1998 | 28 | 2,851 | ▲ 887 |
| 1997 | 18 | 3,738 | ▼ 445 |
| 1996 | 21 | 3,293 | ▼ 102 |
| 1995 | 21 | 3,191 | ▲ 405 |
| 1994 | 18 | 3,596 | ▼ 350 |
| 1993 | 20 | 3,246 | ▼ 247 |
| 1992 | 22 | 2,999 | ▼ 393 |
| 1991 | 26 | 2,606 | ▼ 520 |
| 1990 | 35 | 2,086 | ▲ 159 |
| 1989 | 30 | 2,245 | ▼ 210 |
| 1988 | 31 | 2,035 | ▲ 22 |
| 1987 | 29 | 2,057 | ▼ 564 |
| 1986 | 45 | 1,493 | ▲ 101 |
| 1985 | 40 | 1,594 | ▲ 36 |
| 1984 | 36 | 1,630 | ▼ 231 |
| 1983 | 45 | 1,399 | ▲ 42 |
| 1982 | 44 | 1,441 | ▲ 79 |
| 1981 | 40 | 1,520 | ▼ 229 |
| 1980 | 52 | 1,291 | ▼ 85 |
| 1979 | 57 | 1,206 | ▲ 23 |
| 1978 | 53 | 1,229 | ▼ 175 |
| 1977 | 67 | 1,054 | ▲ 373 |
| 1976 | 39 | 1,427 | ▲ 51 |
| 1975 | 36 | 1,478 | ▼ 234 |
| 1974 | 45 | 1,244 | ▲ 110 |
| 1973 | 38 | 1,354 | ▼ 361 |
| 1972 | 66 | 993 | ▼ 100 |
| 1971 | 83 | 893 | ▼ 32 |
| 1970 | 87 | 861 | ▼ 20 |
| 1969 | 83 | 841 | ▼ 7 |
| 1968 | 76 | 834 | ▼ 7 |
| 1967 | 75 | 827 | ▼ 72 |
| 1966 | 95 | 755 | ▼ 15 |
| 1965 | 100 | 740 | ▼ 56 |
| 1964 | 127 | 684 | ▼ 57 |
| 1963 | 155 | 627 | ▲ 51 |
| 1962 | 130 | 678 | ▼ 2 |
| 1961 | 131 | 676 | ▼ 7 |
| 1960 | 138 | 669 | ▲ 31 |
| 1959 | 121 | 700 | ▲ 55 |
| 1958 | 96 | 755 | ▲ 158 |
| 1957 | 69 | 913 | ▲ 404 |
| 1956 | 34 | 1,317 | ▼ 98 |
| 1955 | 38 | 1,219 | ▲ 189 |
| 1954 | 29 | 1,408 | ▼ 104 |
| 1953 | 33 | 1,304 | ▲ 243 |
| 1952 | 24 | 1,547 | ▼ 85 |
| 1951 | 26 | 1,462 | ▲ 479 |
| 1950 | 15 | 1,941 | ▼ 121 |
| 1949 | 17 | 1,820 | ▼ 261 |
| 1948 | 22 | 1,559 | ▼ 223 |
| 1947 | 30 | 1,336 | ▲ 221 |
| 1946 | 21 | 1,557 | ▼ 151 |
| 1945 | 22 | 1,406 | ▲ 484 |
| 1944 | 14 | 1,890 | ▼ 254 |
| 1943 | 19 | 1,636 | ▲ 1,576 |
| 1942 | 6 | 3,212 | ▼ 721 |
| 1941 | 9 | 2,491 | back (not recorded in 1940) |
| 1939 | 12 | 2,050 | ▲ 1,125 |
| 1938 | 6 | 3,175 | – |
| 1937 | 6 | 3,175 | back (not recorded in 1936) |
| 1935 | 9 | 2,529 | ▲ 444 |
| 1934 | 7 | 2,973 | ▲ 295 |
| 1933 | 6 | 3,268 | back (not recorded in 1932) |
| 1931 | 5 | 3,763 | back (not recorded in 1930) |
| 1929 | 5 | 3,959 | ▲ 192 |
| 1928 | 5 | 4,151 | back (not recorded in 1927) |
| 1926 | 6 | 3,708 | back (not recorded in 1925) |
| 1924 | 6 | 3,867 | back (not recorded in 1923) |
| 1922 | 5 | 4,307 | ▼ 438 |
| 1921 | 6 | 3,869 | ▼ 54 |
| 1920 | 6 | 3,815 | back (not recorded in 1915–1919) |
| 1914 | 9 | 2,271 | ▲ 550 |
| 1913 | 5 | 2,821 | ▼ 277 |
| 1912 | 5 | 2,544 | back (not recorded in 1888–1911) |
| 1887 | 6 | 819 | ▲ 140 |
| 1886 | 5 | 959 | back (not recorded in 1885) |
| 1884 | 7 | 764 | back (not recorded in 1881–1883) |
| 1880 | 5 | 909 | – |
Wes by state
Wes ranks #206 in New Hampshire (2025).
Rank by state 26 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 206 | 6 |
| Montana | 227 | 5 |
| Utah | 288 | 17 |
| Idaho | 302 | 8 |
| Massachusetts | 318 | 17 |
| Connecticut | 382 | 7 |
| Wisconsin | 411 | 12 |
| Iowa | 448 | 7 |
| Pennsylvania | 477 | 21 |
| Louisiana | 487 | 9 |
| Minnesota | 511 | 10 |
| Washington | 529 | 13 |
| Michigan | 571 | 14 |
| New Jersey | 576 | 12 |
| Colorado | 626 | 8 |
| Missouri | 648 | 8 |
| California | 658 | 42 |
| Arizona | 672 | 9 |
| New York | 692 | 21 |
| Illinois | 752 | 11 |
| Georgia | 792 | 11 |
| North Carolina | 825 | 10 |
| Tennessee | 842 | 7 |
| Florida | 912 | 15 |
| Texas | 953 | 25 |
| Virginia | 971 | 6 |
Notable people named Wes
- Wes Skiles — Wesley Cofer Skiles was an American cave diving pioneer, explorer, and underwater cinematographer from High Springs, Florida.
- Wes Moore — Westley Moore is the 63rd governor of Maryland, a former U.S. Army officer, author, and businessman.
- Wes Borland — Wesley Louden Borland is an American rock musician known for his roles as guitarist and vocalist in bands like Limp Bizkit, Black Light Burns, and Big Dumb Face.
- Wes Anderson — Wesley Anderson is an acclaimed American filmmaker known for his eccentric, auteur-driven movies that explore themes like grief, loss of innocence, and dysfunctional families, with several earning high critical praise.
- Wes Streeting — Wesley Streeting is a Labour MP for Ilford North who has served as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care since July 2024.
More people named Wes 11 more
- Wes Edens — Wesley Edens is an American billionaire who co-founded Fortress Investment Group, co-owns the NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks, and has ownership in football clubs like Aston Villa.
- Wes Craven — Wesley Earl Craven was an American filmmaker acclaimed as a horror master for his slasher films that blended clichés with humor.
- Wes Morgan — Westley Nathan Morgan, an English-born centre-back, played for Jamaica and captained Leicester City to their historic 2015–16 Premier League title.
- American jazz guitarist Wes Montgomery was renowned for his unique thumb-plucking technique and extensive use of octaves, which gave him a distinctive sound.
- Wes Unseld — Westley Unseld spent his entire NBA career with the Bullets, earning MVP and Rookie of the Year in his first season and leading them to the 1978 championship as Finals MVP.
- Wes Carr is an Australian singer-songwriter who won Australian Idol in 2008 and scored a number-one hit with his single "You."
- Wes Studi — Wesley Studi, a Cherokee actor and producer, became the first Native American to receive an Academy Honorary Award in 2019.
- Wes Bentley is an American actor best known for his role in American Beauty and later performances in The Hunger Games and Yellowstone, having overcome personal struggles to rebuild his career.
- Wes Moore — Frank Weston Moore is the women's basketball head coach at NC State, having earned eight Coach of the Year awards and over 20 championships throughout his career.
- Wes Parsons — Arthur Wesley Parsons is an American free agent pitcher who has played for MLB teams including the Braves, Rockies, Blue Jays, and Guardians, as well as the KBO's NC Dinos.
- Wes Schweitzer — Weston Robert Schweitzer is a former NFL offensive guard who played nine seasons for teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Washington Commanders, New York Jets, and New England Patriots.