Wilbur
Meaning of Wilbur
Wilbur (pronounced WIL-bər) bursts onto the scene with the soul of a fairytale hero, its name forged in Old German fires—‘wil’ for determined will and ‘burg’ for fortress. This modest champion tips its hat to E.B. White’s endearing pig philosopher in Charlotte’s Web and salutes aviation’s trailblazer Wilbur Wright. Over the last century, it has breezed across the popularity charts—briefly brushing the top 100 around 1910 and now cozily settled at #882 in 2024. With its blend of storybook whimsy, vintage grit, and steadfast charm, Wilbur feels like a friendly lantern guiding families toward castles of courage and laughter for their little one.
Pronunciation
British English
- Pronunced as WIL-buh (/ˈwɪl.bə/)
American English
- Pronunced as WIL-bur (/ˈwɪl.bər/)
U.S. Popularity Chart
Notable People Named Wilbur
| Wilbur Addison Smith was a Rhodesian-born British-South African novelist known for historical fiction set in Southern Africa. |
| Wilbur Soot, born William Patrick Gold, is an English YouTuber and musician who rose to fame with the comedy channel SootHouse. |
| Wilbur Joseph Cohen was an American social scientist and civil servant who helped shape the New Deal and Great Society programs. |
| Warren Wilbur Shaw was an American racing driver who won the Indianapolis 500 three times and later served as president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. |
| Wilbur Crane Eveland - Wilbur Eveland was a World War II veteran, CIA station chief, and author who criticized American foreign policy in the Middle East. |
| Wilbur Stark was an American writer, producer and director who worked in film, television and radio. |
| Wilbur Norman Christiansen was a pioneering Australian radio astronomer and electrical engineer. |
| Wilbur Lucius Cross was an American literary critic and Connecticut's 71st governor, serving from 1931 to 1939. |
| Wilbur Wong Yan Choy became the first Asian American bishop in the United Methodist Church in 1972. |
| Wilbur Davenport - Wilbur B. Davenport Jr. was a Philadelphia-born professor emeritus of communication science and engineering at MIT. |
| Wilbur Fisk Stone Sr. was a Colorado Supreme Court justice and historian who compiled the four volume History of Colorado. |
| Wilbur Henry Siebert was an American educator, historian, and professor at Ohio State University. |
| Wilbur Leonard Lamoreaux was an international motorcycle speedway rider who finished in the top five in three World Championship finals. |
| Wilbur B. Rayton served as president of the Optical Society of America from 1933 to 1934. |
| Wilbur McKee White was a World War I veteran and U.S. representative from Ohio who served from 1931 to 1933. |
