Welles
Every Welles since 1915 — 480 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Welles
Welles is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,985 in 2025 with 42 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1915, 480 American babies have been named Welles. Its peak came in 2021, when 56 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2020s.
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 Welles stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Welles 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 | — | — | 42 | #2,985 |
| 2024 | — | — | 32 | #3,599 |
| 2023 | — | — | 31 | #3,702 |
| 2022 | — | — | 43 | #2,958 |
| 2021 | — | — | 56 | #2,437 |
| 2020 | 5 | #17,382 | 33 | #3,411 |
| 2019 | 5 | #17,844 | 40 | #3,048 |
| 2018 | — | — | 46 | #2,707 |
| 2017 | — | — | 46 | #2,714 |
| 2016 | — | — | 32 | #3,521 |
| 2015 | — | — | 19 | #5,048 |
| 2014 | — | — | 15 | #5,979 |
| 2013 | — | — | 10 | #8,072 |
| 2012 | — | — | 10 | #8,113 |
| 2011 | — | — | — | — |
| 2010 | — | — | 5 | #14,152 |
| 2009 | — | — | — | — |
| 2008 | — | — | — | — |
| 2007 | — | — | — | — |
| 2006 | — | — | — | — |
| 2005 | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | — | — | — | — |
| 2003 | — | — | — | — |
| 2002 | — | — | — | — |
| 2001 | — | — | — | — |
| 2000 | — | — | — | — |
| 1995 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980 | — | — | — | — |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | — | — |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | — | — | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — | — | — |
| 1915 | — | — | 5 | #4,377 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Welles in 2025?
Welles ranked #2,985 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 42 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Welles?
480 babies have been named Welles in the United States since 1915, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Welles most popular?
Welles peaked in 2021, when 56 newborns received the name.
Is Welles a boy or girl name?
Welles is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 98% of babies with the name.
Is the name Welles rising or falling?
Welles is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.