Wilson
From Will (short form of William) + -son.
Every Wilson since 1880 — 49,017 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wilson
Wilson is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #673 in 2025 with 405 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 49,017 American babies have been named Wilson. Its peak came in 1918, when 1,381 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1910s.
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 Wilson stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wilson 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 | — | — | 405 | #673 |
| 2024 | — | — | 432 | #645 |
| 2023 | — | — | 404 | #675 |
| 2022 | — | — | 387 | #689 |
| 2021 | 6 | #15,139 | 370 | #710 |
| 2020 | 5 | #17,388 | 402 | #656 |
| 2019 | — | — | 417 | #645 |
| 2018 | 6 | #15,582 | 433 | #619 |
| 2017 | 5 | #18,308 | 404 | #642 |
| 2016 | — | — | 439 | #615 |
| 2015 | 5 | #18,973 | 433 | #621 |
| 2014 | 5 | #19,074 | 461 | #597 |
| 2013 | 6 | #16,426 | 391 | #631 |
| 2012 | — | — | 422 | #600 |
| 2011 | — | — | 409 | #603 |
| 2010 | — | — | 429 | #585 |
| 2009 | — | — | 488 | #541 |
| 2008 | — | — | 492 | #539 |
| 2007 | 5 | #20,428 | 473 | #543 |
| 2006 | 5 | #19,928 | 507 | #512 |
| 2005 | 6 | #16,367 | 516 | #484 |
| 2004 | — | — | 547 | #465 |
| 2003 | — | — | 468 | #515 |
| 2002 | — | — | 509 | #469 |
| 2001 | 10 | #10,076 | 463 | #497 |
| 2000 | 5 | #17,550 | 421 | #526 |
| 1995 | 6 | #13,346 | 410 | #504 |
| 1990 | 9 | #9,229 | 417 | #480 |
| 1985 | 5 | #12,460 | 276 | #526 |
| 1980 | — | — | 284 | #502 |
| 1975 | — | — | 217 | #548 |
| 1970 | 5 | #9,336 | 288 | #475 |
| 1965 | — | — | 250 | #489 |
| 1960 | — | — | 281 | #475 |
| 1955 | — | — | 337 | #396 |
| 1950 | — | — | 352 | #359 |
| 1945 | — | — | 398 | #300 |
| 1940 | — | — | 447 | #265 |
| 1935 | — | — | 341 | #296 |
| 1930 | — | — | 430 | #273 |
| 1925 | — | — | 445 | #272 |
| 1920 | 7 | #4,392 | 583 | #221 |
| 1915 | 5 | #4,949 | 767 | #154 |
| 1910 | — | — | 112 | #223 |
| 1905 | — | — | 73 | #227 |
| 1900 | — | — | 89 | #208 |
| 1895 | — | — | 71 | #205 |
| 1890 | — | — | 67 | #200 |
| 1885 | — | — | 59 | #208 |
| 1880 | — | — | 72 | #179 |
Famous people named Wilson
- Wilson Pickett Singer · 1941–2006
- Wilson da Silva Piazza Soccer player · b. 1943
- Wilson Greatbatch Inventor · 1919–2011
- Wilson Bentley Photographer · 1865–1931
- Wilson Kipketer Athlete · b. 1972
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wilson mean?
From Will (short form of William) + -son.
How popular is the name Wilson in 2025?
Wilson ranked #673 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 405 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wilson?
49,017 babies have been named Wilson in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wilson most popular?
Wilson peaked in 1918, when 1,381 newborns received the name.
Is Wilson a boy or girl name?
Wilson is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wilson rising or falling?
Wilson has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Wilson?
Well-known people named Wilson include Wilson Pickett (singer), Wilson da Silva Piazza (soccer player), Wilson Greatbatch (inventor).