The first name Wesley
A boy’s name from English meaning “west”, “wood”, “clearing”.
Pronounced /ˈwɛsli/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
English origin
Wesley means “west”, “wood”, “clearing” in English.
Several places in England, from Old English west (“west”) + lēah (“wood, clearing”). Equivalent to west + -ley (“lea”).
More names that mean forest.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 72 boys were named Wesley, making it the 539th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 1996, with 185 births (#178).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Wesley with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Wesley at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 5,578 boys born in the United States were named Wesley, the 52nd most popular boys’ name that year.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Famous people named Wesley
78 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Wesley SneijderDutch association football player (born 1984)
- Wesley SnipesAmerican actor (born 1962)
- Jake Wesley RogersAmerican pop musician and songwriter, born 1996
- John Wesley PowellAmerican geologist (1834-1902)
- Wesley SoFilipino-American chess player, born 1993
- Wesley FofanaFrench footballer (born 2000)
- Wesley SonckBelgian association football player, born 1978
- John Wesley ShippAmerican actor, born 1955
- WesleyBrazilian association football player, born 1996
- Wesley HoedtDutch association football player, born 1994
- Wesley RugglesAmerican film director (1889-1972)
- John Wesley HyattAmerican inventor of plastic (1837-1920)
More English boys’ names
Questions
- What does the name Wesley mean?
- Wesley means “west”, “wood”, “clearing” in English.
- What is the origin of the name Wesley?
- Several places in England, from Old English west (“west”) + lēah (“wood, clearing”). Equivalent to west + -ley (“lea”).
- How popular is the name Wesley?
- In 2025, 72 boys born in England and Wales were named Wesley, ranking 539th. Its peak was 1996, with 185 births.
- Is Wesley a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 250,969 US babies named Wesley since 1880 were boys.
- When was Wesley most popular?
- 2025 in the United States, when 5,578 babies were named Wesley, its highest rank at 52nd.
- How do you pronounce Wesley?
- Wesley is /ˈwɛsli/, 2 syllables.
- Is Wesley also a surname?
- Yes. Wesley is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.