Waylan
Waylan was the 2599th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 51 babies. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked 2336th; the most babies were born in 2023 (60). Over the last ten years it has moved up 163 places. More babies were named Waylan in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Waylon) Origin uncertain · English, Germanic
- Rank in 2025
- #2,599 boys, up 54 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 51boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 202360 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,299babies recorded
What does the name Waylan mean?
Waylan is a spelling of Waylon, pronounced the same way, so it shares Waylon's meaning and origin.
Waylon is a variant of Wayland, the English form of Weland, the master smith of Germanic legend (Old Norse Völundr). Wiktionary traces Wayland to an Old English and Proto-Germanic name, but the meaning of that ancient name is not clear. Wayland also became an English surname and place name. The Waylon spelling owes its popularity to the country singer Waylon Jennings, who was born Wayland in 1937 and changed the spelling of his name.
Wēland (Old English, “legendary smith”)*Wē₂landuz (Proto-Germanic, “name of the smith”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. The link to Wayland and Waylon Jennings is clear; the meaning of the Germanic name Weland itself is not established.
Related names: Wayland, Waylen, Weylin.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Waylon', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wiktionary, entry 'Wayland', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
- Wikipedia, 'Waylon Jennings', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation); facts restated, no text reused
Waylan popularity since 1880
A few girls are given the name too: 11 since 2019.
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #2,599 | 51 |
| 2020 | #2,653 | 48 |
| 2010 | #2,678 | 46 |
| 2000 | #4,776 | 16 |
| 1990 | #5,798 | 9 |
| 1980 | #4,127 | 10 |
| 1970 | #3,275 | 10 |
| 1960 | #2,863 | 10 |
| 1950 | #3,669 | 6 |
| 1940 | #2,860 | 8 |
| 1930 | #3,582 | 7 |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Waylan, counting every spelling?
Waylan is a spelling of Waylon, a name family that ranked #59 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #2,599 for Waylan on its own. Together these spellings went to 5,830 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waylon | 5,408 | #56 | 24,778 |
| Waylen | 289 | #849 | 1,429 |
| Waylan | 51 | #2,599 | 260 |
| Waylin | 31 | #3,652 | 136 |
| Waylyn | 24 | #4,381 | 135 |
| Waelyn | 10 | #8,211 | 55 |
| Whalen | 8 | #9,655 | 54 |
| Weylin | 9 | #8,869 | 54 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Waylan?
51 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Waylan (0.01 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Waylan born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 165 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Waylan.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Waylan?
About 1,200 people born in the US named Waylan are alive today, with a median age of 13; half are between 6 and 23. That makes Waylan mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Waylan by state
How common Waylan was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. In 42 states fewer than five boys a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Waylan: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Waylan, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Waylan
What does Waylan mean?
The origin of Waylon is uncertain: the link to Wayland and Waylon Jennings is clear; the meaning of the Germanic name Weland itself is not established.
How popular is the name Waylan?
Waylan was the 2599th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 51 babies. Its best year was 2019, when it ranked 2336th; the most babies were born in 2023 (60). Over the last ten years it has moved up 163 places. More babies were named Waylan in the 2010s than in any other decade.
Is Waylan a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Waylan in the US.
Where is Waylan most popular?
In 2021–2025, Waylan was most common in Kentucky (0.05 per 1,000 boys), followed by Michigan and Tennessee.