Wes
Wes was the 716th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 376 babies. Its best year was 1963, when it ranked 630th; the most babies were born in 2025 (376). Over the last ten years it has moved up 549 places. More babies were named Wes in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of Wesley or Weston · English, Old English
Say it WES /wɛs/
- Rank in 2025
- #716 boys, up 275 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 376boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025376 babies
- Total since 1880
- 6,786babies recorded
What does the name Wes mean?
Wes is a short form of Wesley and Weston, both English surnames from place names. Wesley comes from Old English west 'west' and lēah 'clearing, meadow', and became a first name in honor of John and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism. Weston means 'west farmstead', from west and tūn 'enclosure, settlement'. Wes is now also given as a name on its own.
west (Old English, “west”)lēah (Old English, “clearing, meadow”)tūn (Old English, “farmstead, settlement”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Wesley, Weston, Westley.
See also: English names, names from places.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Wes', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Wesley', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'Weston', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
Wes popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #716 | 376 |
| 2020 | #991 | 216 |
| 2010 | #1,767 | 85 |
| 2000 | #3,296 | 26 |
| 1990 | #2,127 | 35 |
| 1980 | #1,312 | 52 |
| 1970 | #868 | 87 |
| 1960 | #669 | 138 |
| 1950 | #2,017 | 15 |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | #4,269 | 6 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | #1,051 | 5 |
How popular is Wes, counting every spelling?
Wes is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #690 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #716 for Wes on its own. Together these spellings went to 384 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wes | 376 | #716 | 1,615 |
| Wess | 8 | #9,653 | 42 |
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 Wes?
376 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Wes (0.10 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Wes 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 22 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Wes.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Wes?
About 6,100 people born in the US named Wes are alive today, with a median age of 15; half are between 5 and 53. That makes Wes mostly worn by children and young adults. The wide spread shows a name popular in two different eras.
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.
Wes by state
How common Wes was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (3.5×), Louisiana (3.0×), Massachusetts (2.5×), Minnesota (1.8×), Michigan (1.7×). In 18 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 Wes: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Wes, they share its era and feel.
Middle names for Wes · Sibling names for Wes
Wes is also a nickname for Wesson, Wesley, Weston and Westley.
Questions about the name Wes
What does Wes mean?
Wes means “short form of Wesley or Weston” (English, Old English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Wes?
Wes was the 716th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 376 babies. Its best year was 1963, when it ranked 630th; the most babies were born in 2025 (376). Over the last ten years it has moved up 549 places. More babies were named Wes in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Wes a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Wes in the US.
Where is Wes most popular?
In 2021–2025, Wes was most common in Utah (0.66 per 1,000 boys), followed by Louisiana and Massachusetts.