Wesley
Wesley is a boys' name of English origin meaning “western meadow.” It ranked #52 in the United States in 2025. An English surname meaning western meadow or clearing, originating as a place name.
how do you pronounce Wesley?
WEZ-lee
Hear it spoken aloud with our AI pronunciation tool.
what does Wesley mean?
The name Wesley means “western meadow.” It comes from the English language tradition.
An English surname meaning western meadow or clearing, originating as a place name. Famous through John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Also known from the beloved character Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation.
where does the name Wesley come from?
From the Old English place name Westlēah, joining west with lēah, a word for a field, pasture, meadow or clearing in a forest. Several places in England carry the name, and the surname derives from them rather than from any single family.
the history of Wesley
John Wesley, who founded Methodism in the eighteenth century, is the reason the surname became a given name — a pattern common among Protestant denominations, where a founder's surname passes into use as a first name among followers. That is also how Wesley spread widely through the United States.
how popular is this name?
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | #52 |
| 2024 | #58 |
| 2023 | #70 |
| 2022 | #70 |
| 2021 | #85 |
| 2020 | #98 |
Source: SSA National Baby Names Dataset
what are the nicknames and variants of Wesley?
Nicknames
Variants around the world
who are famous people named Wesley?
- John Wesley (founder of Methodism)
- Wesley Snipes (actor)
what names are similar to Wesley?
what names go well with Wesley?
Sibling names that share Wesley's rhythm and register without echoing it too closely.
Last reviewed April 30, 2026 · Curated by HushName editorial
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