Wilder
Meaning of Wilder
Wilder (WY-ldur) began as an Old English surname for someone who lived “out in the wild,” and it still comes with the scent of pine needles and possibility clinging to its sleeves. The name conjures up campfires, open skies, and a mischievous grin that promises adventure, yet it remains polished enough to look sharp on a résumé. Literary legend Thornton Wilder adds a splash of Pulitzer-grade gravitas, while Gene Wilder’s beloved Willy Wonka proves the wild can be wonderfully whimsical. No wonder parents have been scooping it up: after hovering on the fringes for decades, Wilder leapt into the U.S. Top 400 in 2020 and keeps climbing like a kid up a tree. Straddling the sweet spot between rugged nature names (think River or Forest) and time-tested surnames-turned-firsts (Mason, Carter), Wilder offers families a way to bottle a bit of untamed magic without straying too far from tradition.
Pronunciation
American English
- Pronunced as WY-ldur (/ˈwaɪldər/)
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Notable People Named Wilder
| Wilder Penfield was an American Canadian neurosurgeon who pioneered brain mapping and surgical techniques, explored neural stimulation effects like hallucinations and deja vu, and pondered a scientific basis for the human soul. |
| Wilder Calderón - Peruvian Aprista politician Wilder Félix Calderón Castro served as an Ancash congressman from 2006 to 2011, failed to win reelection in 2011 and a 2014 bid for regional president, and graduated from Federico Villarreal National University. |
| Wilder Alfredo Wilson Perez is a Nicaraguan professional footballer who plays as a center back. |
