Boy name origins & meanings
- Old English : West meadow
What does Wesley mean and stand for?
The name Wesley is of Old English origin and means "west meadow." It was originally used a surname before gaining popularity as a given name.
Syllables: 2
Family name origins & meanings
- English : habitational name from any of various places named with the Old English elements west ‘west’ + lēah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’, as for example Westley in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, and Westleigh in Devon and Greater Manchester.
Famous people with this first name
Popularity
Wesley is the number ninety-nine most popular boys name in the US, according to 2019 Social Security Administration data. It has only recently become popular, breaking the top 100 for the first time in 2019.
However, it is the 14th most popular name on FamilyEducation.com.
According to Google search data analysis, in the last five years Wesley was at its peak popularity in July 2018.
Wesley was a name given to boys to honor John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Directors Wes Anderson and Wes Craven were born as Wesleys, as were Wesley Klein, Wesley Morgan, and Wesley Snipes. Wesley has also been chosen for characters in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, and Star Trek.
Where is it Popular?
Wesley was searched for most often in the following states:
Pairs well with these middle names
