Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1959

Wally

Meaning Wales Gender Boy · 3% girls Rank 2025 #5,838

Wally or Wallie is a given name, and a nickname for Wallace which ultimately means 'Wales' and Walter.

Rank 2025
#5,838
among boys · ↑610 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
16
named Wally
How common
1 in 106,755
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1959
185 babies
All-time total
5,101
#1,786 all-time among boys
First recorded
1910
in Social Security records

Wally popularity over time

5,101 babies have been named Wally since 1910, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.030.050.080.118801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s – – – – – –
1890s – – – – – –
1900s – – – – – –
1910s 12 120 132 13 – #1,527
1920s – 318 318 32 +141% #1,007
1930s 56 587 643 64 +102% #741
1940s 62 916 978 98 +52% #602
1950s 17 937 954 95 -2% #579
1960s – 1,054 1,054 105 +10% #613
1970s – 373 373 37 -65% #1,148
1980s – 219 219 22 -41% #1,992
1990s – 121 121 12 -45% #3,320
2000s – 102 102 10 -16% #4,850
2010s – 122 122 12 +20% #5,754
2020s (to 2025) – 85 85 14 +16% #5,838

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.

How old are people named Wally?

The median living Wally is about 63 years old; half are between 51 and 72. An estimated 3,200 people named Wally are alive in the United States today.

median 63 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

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

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Wally Szczerbiak Wally Szczerbiak American basketball player (born 1977) Contemporary
  2. 2 Wally Schirra Wally Schirra American astronaut (1923–2007) Contemporary
  3. 3 Wally Pfister Wally Pfister American cinematographer and director (born 1961) Contemporary
  4. 4 Wally Hickel Wally Hickel American politician (1919–2010) Contemporary
  5. 5 Wally Ris Wally Ris American swimmer (1924–1989) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Wally, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Wally?

The median living Wally is about 63 years old. Half of all living Wallys are between 51 and 72 years old.

How many people named Wally are alive today?

An estimated 3,200 people named Wally are alive in the United States, based on 5,101 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Wally mean?

Wally or Wallie is a given name, and a nickname for Wallace which ultimately means 'Wales' and Walter.

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 Szczerbiak (basketball player), Wally Schirra (astronaut), Wally Pfister (film director).

Names like Wally

Names that sound and feel close to Wally: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Wally with similar names → More names starting with W →