About the name Wesley
Wesley entered wide use as a tribute to John Wesley, founder of Methodism, which gave it an early foothold across the American South. It has aged into something warm and unpretentious, and the rise of West as a standalone name has quietly given it a second life.
Wesley is a boy name of Old English origin, pronounced WES-lee. On the NameRarity scale it scores 45 out of 100, which places it in the uncommon band — familiar to everyone, yet rarely duplicated in the same room. Its strongest period was the 1970s.
Name facts at a glance
How popular is Wesley?
Wesley sits at approximately #205 in recent US rankings. Roughly 160 people per million carry it — about 1 in 6,250. In a school of 1,000 pupils you would expect not to find a single one.
Famous people named Wesley
- Wesley SnipesAmerican actor
- Wesley ClarkAmerican general and NATO commander
Spellings and variants of Wesley
Names similar to Wesley
Wilder
WYL-der
Untamed, of the wilderness
Preston
PRES-tun
Priest's town
Wyatt
WY-ut
Brave in war
Fenwick
FEN-wick
Farm on the marsh
Kinsley
KINZ-lee
King's meadow
Bailey
BAY-lee
Bailiff, or the outer wall of a castle
Brandon
BRAN-dun
Broom-covered hill
Emmett
EM-it
Universal, whole
Wesley — frequently asked questions
What does the name Wesley mean?
Wesley means "Western meadow". It is a name of Old English origin, most often given to a boy.
How do you pronounce Wesley?
Wesley is pronounced WES-lee, with 2 syllables.
How rare is the name Wesley?
Wesley scores 45 out of 100 on the NameRarity scale, which makes it uncommon. Roughly 1 in every 6,250 people carry it — about 160 per million.
What is the numerology number for Wesley?
Wesley carries the expression number 8, known as The Powerhouse. Its soul urge number is 1 and its personality number is 7.
What is the lucky number and lucky colour for Wesley?
The lucky number for Wesley is 8 (with 17, 26, 35 also favourable), and its lucky colour is Midnight Navy. The traditional lucky day is Saturday and the associated gemstone is Onyx.
Is Wesley a popular name?
Wesley currently sits around rank #205 in the United States, and its strongest period was the 1970s.