At a glance
- In short
- Wren is an English girl's name taken from the songbird.
- U.S. rank 2025
- #231 of girl names
- Babies in 2025
- 1,331 (0.076% of girls)
- Trend
- Rising #360 in 2020 to #231 in 2025
- Peak
- #184 in 2022
- Top state
- #29 in Montana
- First recorded
- 1888
Meaning of Wren
Wren is an English name taken from the wren, a small songbird; the word goes back to Old English wrenna. It is pronounced REN, rhyming with ten, with a silent W.
It is also a long-established English surname, best known through Sir Christopher Wren, the architect of St Paul's Cathedral in London. As a first name, it is valued for its short, simple sound and its link to the natural world.
In the United States, Wren was a rare choice for most of the 20th century, and as recently as 2005 it ranked No. 2,902. It then rose sharply, reaching its peak of 184th in 2022, when 1,609 girls were given the name. It has eased slightly since then and ranked 231st in 2025, with 1,331 babies.
How to pronounce Wren
English
- Pronounced ren /rɛn/
Popularity of Wren in the U.S.
Wren was the #231 girl name in the U.S. in 2025, with 1,331 babies. It peaked at #184 in 2022 and has been in the top 1,000 since 2012. It first appears in the records in 1888.
- Rank among U.S. girl names (right scale, #1 at the top)
Year-by-year table, 1888–2025 68 rows
| Year | Babies | Rank | vs previous year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,331 | 231 | ▼ 18 |
| 2024 | 1,444 | 213 | ▼ 18 |
| 2023 | 1,549 | 195 | ▼ 11 |
| 2022 | 1,609 | 184 | ▲ 68 |
| 2021 | 1,228 | 252 | ▲ 108 |
| 2020 | 862 | 360 | ▲ 66 |
| 2019 | 745 | 426 | ▲ 42 |
| 2018 | 667 | 468 | ▼ 4 |
| 2017 | 676 | 464 | ▲ 59 |
| 2016 | 595 | 523 | ▲ 180 |
| 2015 | 405 | 703 | ▼ 6 |
| 2014 | 404 | 697 | ▲ 100 |
| 2013 | 340 | 797 | ▲ 197 |
| 2012 | 254 | 994 | ▲ 181 |
| 2011 | 206 | 1,175 | ▲ 112 |
| 2010 | 185 | 1,287 | ▲ 373 |
| 2009 | 134 | 1,660 | ▲ 205 |
| 2008 | 114 | 1,865 | ▲ 282 |
| 2007 | 93 | 2,147 | ▼ 159 |
| 2006 | 100 | 1,988 | ▲ 914 |
| 2005 | 56 | 2,902 | ▼ 13 |
| 2004 | 55 | 2,889 | ▲ 701 |
| 2003 | 39 | 3,590 | ▲ 140 |
| 2002 | 35 | 3,730 | ▲ 134 |
| 2001 | 33 | 3,864 | ▲ 2,073 |
| 2000 | 18 | 5,937 | ▼ 2,298 |
| 1999 | 33 | 3,639 | ▲ 853 |
| 1998 | 24 | 4,492 | ▲ 2,791 |
| 1997 | 12 | 7,283 | ▼ 1,219 |
| 1996 | 15 | 6,064 | ▼ 387 |
| 1995 | 16 | 5,677 | ▲ 3,127 |
| 1994 | 9 | 8,804 | ▼ 3,978 |
| 1993 | 20 | 4,826 | ▲ 3,239 |
| 1992 | 10 | 8,065 | ▼ 3,257 |
| 1991 | 20 | 4,808 | ▲ 3,072 |
| 1990 | 10 | 7,880 | ▼ 431 |
| 1989 | 10 | 7,449 | ▼ 1,851 |
| 1988 | 14 | 5,598 | ▼ 524 |
| 1987 | 15 | 5,074 | ▲ 1,082 |
| 1986 | 11 | 6,156 | ▼ 125 |
| 1985 | 11 | 6,031 | back (not recorded in 1984) |
| 1983 | 11 | 5,824 | ▲ 4,694 |
| 1982 | 5 | 10,518 | ▼ 5,555 |
| 1981 | 14 | 4,963 | ▲ 1,356 |
| 1980 | 10 | 6,319 | ▼ 1,693 |
| 1979 | 15 | 4,626 | ▲ 588 |
| 1978 | 12 | 5,214 | ▼ 979 |
| 1977 | 16 | 4,235 | ▲ 2,376 |
| 1976 | 8 | 6,611 | ▲ 1,373 |
| 1975 | 6 | 7,984 | back (not recorded in 1974) |
| 1973 | 12 | 4,586 | back (not recorded in 1971–1972) |
| 1970 | 8 | 5,818 | back (not recorded in 1968–1969) |
| 1967 | 7 | 5,457 | back (not recorded in 1965–1966) |
| 1964 | 6 | 6,009 | ▼ 118 |
| 1963 | 6 | 5,891 | ▼ 31 |
| 1962 | 6 | 5,860 | ▼ 978 |
| 1961 | 8 | 4,882 | ▼ 962 |
| 1960 | 11 | 3,920 | ▼ 93 |
| 1959 | 11 | 3,827 | ▲ 693 |
| 1958 | 8 | 4,520 | ▼ 318 |
| 1957 | 9 | 4,202 | ▲ 265 |
| 1956 | 8 | 4,467 | ▲ 741 |
| 1955 | 6 | 5,208 | back (not recorded in 1954) |
| 1953 | 9 | 3,955 | back (not recorded in 1952) |
| 1951 | 7 | 4,385 | back (not recorded in 1950) |
| 1949 | 5 | 5,244 | back (not recorded in 1915–1948) |
| 1914 | 5 | 3,618 | back (not recorded in 1889–1913) |
| 1888 | 5 | 1,276 | new |
Wren by state
Wren ranks #29 in Montana (2025).
Rank by state 43 states
| State | Rank | Babies |
|---|---|---|
| Montana | 29 | 18 |
| Idaho | 55 | 29 |
| Alaska | 70 | 8 |
| South Dakota | 84 | 11 |
| Utah | 94 | 45 |
| Wisconsin | 105 | 45 |
| Minnesota | 114 | 45 |
| Arkansas | 119 | 24 |
| Michigan | 128 | 65 |
| Maine | 131 | 8 |
| Kansas | 136 | 23 |
| Nebraska | 138 | 16 |
| West Virginia | 139 | 11 |
| Pennsylvania | 163 | 68 |
| Iowa | 173 | 18 |
| Virginia | 175 | 46 |
| Ohio | 178 | 63 |
| North Carolina | 180 | 58 |
| Rhode Island | 180 | 5 |
| South Carolina | 188 | 25 |
| Oregon | 190 | 19 |
| Tennessee | 194 | 39 |
| Louisiana | 195 | 22 |
| Washington | 196 | 37 |
| Indiana | 201 | 34 |
| Missouri | 208 | 29 |
| Oklahoma | 225 | 17 |
| Arizona | 233 | 29 |
| Alabama | 236 | 20 |
| Colorado | 245 | 26 |
| Georgia | 262 | 39 |
| Massachusetts | 263 | 22 |
| Connecticut | 280 | 11 |
| Kentucky | 286 | 15 |
| Illinois | 294 | 36 |
| Mississippi | 301 | 9 |
| Maryland | 304 | 17 |
| New York | 380 | 45 |
| New Jersey | 422 | 18 |
| Texas | 427 | 79 |
| California | 458 | 73 |
| Florida | 489 | 37 |
| Nevada | 508 | 5 |
Notable people named Wren
- Wren Alvin Blair was a Canadian NHL coach, scout, and executive.
- Wren Montgomery Williams is an American businessman, attorney, and politician serving the 47th district in the Virginia House of Delegates after representing the 9th until 2021 redistricting.