Wally
Every Wally since 1910 — 5,101 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wally
Wally is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #5,838 in 2025 with 16 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1910, 5,101 American babies have been named Wally. Its peak came in 1959, when 185 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1950s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Wally stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wally year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | — | 16 | #5,838 |
| 2024 | — | — | 14 | #6,448 |
| 2023 | — | — | 15 | #6,198 |
| 2022 | — | — | 15 | #6,134 |
| 2021 | — | — | 10 | #8,127 |
| 2020 | — | — | 15 | #5,963 |
| 2019 | — | — | 12 | #7,142 |
| 2018 | — | — | 16 | #5,754 |
| 2017 | — | — | 16 | #5,769 |
| 2016 | — | — | 13 | #6,702 |
| 2015 | — | — | 12 | #7,038 |
| 2014 | — | — | 9 | #8,747 |
| 2013 | — | — | 11 | #7,518 |
| 2012 | — | — | 11 | #7,525 |
| 2011 | — | — | 10 | #8,040 |
| 2010 | — | — | 12 | #7,062 |
| 2009 | — | — | 10 | #8,274 |
| 2008 | — | — | 10 | #8,284 |
| 2007 | — | — | 14 | #6,250 |
| 2006 | — | — | 19 | #4,850 |
| 2005 | — | — | 14 | #5,861 |
| 2004 | — | — | 10 | #7,504 |
| 2003 | — | — | 8 | #8,599 |
| 2002 | — | — | 7 | #9,350 |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | 10 | #6,810 |
| 1995 | — | — | 15 | #4,267 |
| 1990 | — | — | 13 | #4,394 |
| 1985 | — | — | 22 | #2,422 |
| 1980 | — | — | 24 | #2,210 |
| 1975 | — | — | 41 | #1,376 |
| 1970 | — | — | 47 | #1,221 |
| 1965 | — | — | 96 | #758 |
| 1960 | — | — | 132 | #686 |
| 1955 | — | — | 86 | #791 |
| 1950 | — | — | 66 | #843 |
| 1945 | — | — | 102 | #602 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,730 | 74 | #710 |
| 1935 | — | — | 68 | #749 |
| 1930 | — | — | 49 | #974 |
| 1925 | — | — | 30 | #1,359 |
| 1920 | — | — | 20 | #1,817 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,939 | 7 | #3,376 |
| 1910 | — | — | 5 | #1,831 |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Wally
- Wally Schirra Astronaut · 1923–2007
- Wally Pfister Film director · b. 1961
- Wally Ris Swimmer · 1924–1989
- Wally Hickel Politician · 1919–2010
- Wally Szczerbiak Basketball player · b. 1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Wally in 2025?
Wally ranked #5,838 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 16 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wally?
5,101 babies have been named Wally in the United States since 1910, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wally most popular?
Wally peaked in 1959, when 185 newborns received the name.
Is Wally a boy or girl name?
Wally is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 97% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wally rising or falling?
Wally is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Wally?
Well-known people named Wally include Wally Schirra (astronaut), Wally Pfister (film director), Wally Ris (swimmer).