Wylder
Wylder was the 671st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 407 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,968 places. More babies were named Wylder in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Wilder) Origin uncertain · English, German
- Rank in 2025
- #671 boys, up 543 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 407boys
- Girls and boys
- 9% girls, 91% boys2021–2025
- Peak year
- 2025407 babies
- Total since 1880
- 2,760babies recorded
What does the name Wylder mean?
Wylder is a spelling of Wilder, pronounced the same way, so it shares Wilder's meaning and origin.
Wilder is an English and German surname whose origin is not documented in the sources consulted; it is usually connected with the word wild, perhaps as a nickname. As a modern first name it also echoes the English word wilder (as in wilderness) and the authors Laura Ingalls Wilder and Thornton Wilder. It has risen as a boy's name in the US mainly since the 2010s.
wilde (Middle English, “wild (probable link)”)
How sure is this? Uncertain. Surname origin not documented; the 'wild' connection is likely but unconfirmed.
Related names: Wild, Wyler.
See also: English names.
Sources for this meaning
- Dictionary.com Unabridged (based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary), with Collins English Dictionary, s.v. 'wilder', Dictionary.com / Random House / HarperCollins
- US Social Security Administration, national baby-name data 1880-2025 (usage history only), US Social Security Administration
- CMU Pronouncing Dictionary (cmudict), Carnegie Mellon University
Wylder popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #3,707 | #671 | 41 | 407 |
| 2020 | #7,548 | #1,214 | 15 | 156 |
| 2010 | — | #7,563 | — | 11 |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
How popular is Wylder, counting every spelling?
Wylder is a spelling of Wilder, a name family that ranked #306 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #671 for Wylder on its own. Together these spellings went to 1,150 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilder | 743 | #431 | 4,091 |
| Wylder | 407 | #671 | 1,692 |
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 Wylder?
407 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Wylder (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Wylder 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 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Wylder.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Wylder?
About 2,500 people born in the US named Wylder are alive today, with a median age of 4; half are between 2 and 7. That makes Wylder a young name: most people with it are children.
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.
Wylder by state
How common Wylder was among boys born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in West Virginia (4.4×), Mississippi (3.6×), Arkansas (3.0×), Iowa (2.7×), Alabama (2.4×). It is least common, relative to the national rate, in Massachusetts, Maryland, New York.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Wylder: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Wylder, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Wylder
What does Wylder mean?
The origin of Wilder is uncertain: Surname origin not documented; the 'wild' connection is likely but unconfirmed.
How popular is the name Wylder?
Wylder was the 671st most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 407 babies. That is its highest rank since records began in 1880. Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,968 places. More babies were named Wylder in the 2020s than in any other decade.
Is Wylder a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, 9% girls, 91% boys given the name Wylder in the US.
Where is Wylder most popular?
In 2021–2025, Wylder was most common in Wyoming (0.86 per 1,000 boys), followed by West Virginia and Vermont.