Wallace
An Old English byname for a Welshman or Breton, from Anglo-Norman waleis (“foreign”); see wǣlisċ.
Every Wallace since 1880 — 83,851 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wallace
Wallace is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #964 in 2025 with 241 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 83,851 American babies have been named Wallace. Its peak came in 1923, when 2,815 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1920s.
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 Wallace stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wallace 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 | 6 | #14,828 | 241 | #964 |
| 2024 | — | — | 229 | #984 |
| 2023 | 6 | #15,073 | 216 | #1,016 |
| 2022 | 5 | #17,609 | 234 | #970 |
| 2021 | 8 | #12,134 | 258 | #892 |
| 2020 | 9 | #11,033 | 244 | #919 |
| 2019 | 12 | #9,083 | 245 | #895 |
| 2018 | — | — | 249 | #882 |
| 2017 | — | — | 197 | #1,023 |
| 2016 | 9 | #11,726 | 198 | #1,019 |
| 2015 | — | — | 154 | #1,204 |
| 2014 | — | — | 138 | #1,293 |
| 2013 | 6 | #16,421 | 143 | #1,241 |
| 2012 | — | — | 104 | #1,542 |
| 2011 | — | — | 86 | #1,729 |
| 2010 | — | — | 75 | #1,911 |
| 2009 | — | — | 74 | #1,939 |
| 2008 | — | — | 93 | #1,664 |
| 2007 | — | — | 84 | #1,771 |
| 2006 | — | — | 96 | #1,549 |
| 2005 | — | — | 106 | #1,409 |
| 2004 | — | — | 83 | #1,592 |
| 2003 | — | — | 72 | #1,716 |
| 2002 | — | — | 85 | #1,497 |
| 2001 | 7 | #13,459 | 96 | #1,351 |
| 2000 | — | — | 100 | #1,298 |
| 1995 | — | — | 98 | #1,171 |
| 1990 | — | — | 132 | #897 |
| 1985 | — | — | 181 | #652 |
| 1980 | 6 | #10,364 | 240 | #553 |
| 1975 | — | — | 294 | #471 |
| 1970 | — | — | 401 | #405 |
| 1965 | — | — | 539 | #326 |
| 1960 | — | — | 783 | #283 |
| 1955 | 10 | #4,060 | 953 | #231 |
| 1950 | 6 | #5,286 | 1,062 | #198 |
| 1945 | 10 | #3,124 | 1,008 | #167 |
| 1940 | — | — | 1,172 | #146 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,182 | 1,200 | #133 |
| 1930 | 11 | #2,836 | 1,618 | #112 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,769 | 2,076 | #92 |
| 1920 | 17 | #2,260 | 1,877 | #93 |
| 1915 | 10 | #2,891 | 1,079 | #126 |
| 1910 | — | — | 251 | #132 |
| 1905 | 5 | #2,220 | 162 | #137 |
| 1900 | — | — | 161 | #138 |
| 1895 | — | — | 119 | #137 |
| 1890 | — | — | 138 | #115 |
| 1885 | — | — | 107 | #129 |
| 1880 | — | — | 91 | #150 |
Famous people named Wallace
- Wallace Hartley Musician · 1878–1912
- Wallace Shawn Actor · b. 1943
- Wallace Beery Actor · 1885–1949
- Wallace Stevens Writer · 1879–1955
- Wallace Clement Sabine Physicist · 1868–1919
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wallace mean?
An Old English byname for a Welshman or Breton, from Anglo-Norman waleis (“foreign”); see wǣlisċ.
How popular is the name Wallace in 2025?
Wallace ranked #964 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 241 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wallace?
83,851 babies have been named Wallace in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wallace most popular?
Wallace peaked in 1923, when 2,815 newborns received the name.
Is Wallace a boy or girl name?
Wallace is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wallace rising or falling?
Wallace is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Wallace?
Well-known people named Wallace include Wallace Hartley (musician), Wallace Shawn (actor), Wallace Beery (actor).