Where does the name Wesley come from?

Wesley is a boy name of Old English origin.

Is Wesley a boy or a girl name?

Wesley is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Wesley are girls and 99% are boys.

How popular is the name Wesley in 2023?

Wesley ranks #1791 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 4,797 babies.

How do you pronounce Wesley?

Wesley is pronounced WES-lee (2 syllables).

What are common spellings of Wesley?

Wesley is also written as Wes, Westley, Wesleigh.

A name from Old English · Boy

Wesley

From the Old English wes ('west') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'western meadow'. Adopted as a given name in honor of John Wesley, the 18th-century founder of Methodism.

Compare

Popularity over time

A 143-year arc in numbers.

236,973 U.S. births recorded from 1880–2023.

Popularity · 1880–2023

4,669 births in 2023

1880 1951 2023

Babies named per year Peak year Most recent

Meaning

A name that means something.

WFrom the Old English wes ('west') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'western meadow'. Adopted as a given name in honor of John Wesley, the 18th-century founder of Methodism.

Variants & spellings

3 ways to spell "Wesley".

Each transliteration carries a slightly different cultural fingerprint.

Wes Most common Westley Wesleigh

Famous bearers

People who carry the name Wesley.

W
Wesley Snipes (actor)
W
John Wesley (Methodist founder; surname)
W
Wesley Sneijder (Dutch footballer)

Quick answers

People often ask about Wesley.

What does the name Wesley mean?: Wesley means from the Old English wes ('west') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'western meadow'. Adopted as a given name in honor of John Wesley, the 18th-century founder of Methodism.
Where does the name Wesley come from?: Wesley is a boy name of Old English origin.
Is Wesley a boy or a girl name?: Wesley is used for both. In U.S. Social Security records, about 1% of children given the name Wesley are girls and 99% are boys.
How popular is the name Wesley in 2023?: Wesley ranks #1791 for boys in the U.S. Social Security Administration's 2023 dataset. Its all-time U.S. peak was 2022 with 4,797 babies.
How do you pronounce Wesley?: Wesley is pronounced WES-lee (2 syllables).
What are common spellings of Wesley?: Wesley is also written as Wes, Westley, Wesleigh.

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Mildred

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From Old English mild ('gentle') + thryth ('strength'); 'gentle strength'

Beverly

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From the Old English place name beofor ('beaver') + leah ('clearing'), originally a town and abbey in Yorkshire

Bradley

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From the Old English brad ('broad') + leah ('wood, clearing'); 'broad meadow'

Dale

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From Old English dæl meaning 'valley' — originally a surname for someone who lived in a valley

Earl

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From Old English eorl, the title of a nobleman ranking below a king — etymologically related to Old Norse jarl

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From the Middle English surname todde meaning 'fox' — a nickname applied to a cunning or fox-haired person

About this page

Popularity counts come from the U.S. Social Security Administration's national dataset. Meanings and origins are curated from etymological sources. If you spot an error, please let us know.