Wayne
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Wayne since 1880 — 356,422 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wayne
Wayne is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #655 in 2025 with 422 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 356,422 American babies have been named Wayne. Its peak came in 1947, when 10,202 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 Wayne stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wayne 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 | — | — | 422 | #655 |
| 2024 | — | — | 396 | #686 |
| 2023 | — | — | 359 | #734 |
| 2022 | — | — | 329 | #770 |
| 2021 | — | — | 318 | #779 |
| 2020 | — | — | 305 | #775 |
| 2019 | — | — | 322 | #745 |
| 2018 | — | — | 299 | #778 |
| 2017 | — | — | 281 | #810 |
| 2016 | — | — | 330 | #740 |
| 2015 | — | — | 325 | #744 |
| 2014 | — | — | 292 | #789 |
| 2013 | — | — | 301 | #756 |
| 2012 | — | — | 291 | #781 |
| 2011 | — | — | 327 | #702 |
| 2010 | — | — | 284 | #780 |
| 2009 | — | — | 304 | #754 |
| 2008 | — | — | 344 | #692 |
| 2007 | — | — | 354 | #675 |
| 2006 | — | — | 358 | #649 |
| 2005 | — | — | 319 | #667 |
| 2004 | — | — | 364 | #598 |
| 2003 | — | — | 382 | #580 |
| 2002 | — | — | 420 | #533 |
| 2001 | — | — | 421 | #527 |
| 2000 | — | — | 453 | #506 |
| 1995 | — | — | 674 | #358 |
| 1990 | — | — | 1,148 | #242 |
| 1985 | 14 | #5,340 | 1,384 | #184 |
| 1980 | 8 | #8,156 | 1,843 | #146 |
| 1975 | 13 | #4,846 | 2,134 | #120 |
| 1970 | 28 | #2,644 | 4,006 | #80 |
| 1965 | 20 | #2,832 | 5,112 | #65 |
| 1960 | 25 | #2,431 | 7,193 | #58 |
| 1955 | 28 | #2,059 | 8,728 | #44 |
| 1950 | 19 | #2,338 | 9,259 | #35 |
| 1945 | 12 | #2,739 | 6,738 | #35 |
| 1940 | 20 | #1,843 | 5,727 | #39 |
| 1935 | 22 | #1,660 | 4,057 | #49 |
| 1930 | 28 | #1,498 | 2,981 | #65 |
| 1925 | 21 | #1,942 | 2,713 | #74 |
| 1920 | 20 | #2,012 | 2,180 | #86 |
| 1915 | 16 | #2,047 | 1,517 | #97 |
| 1910 | 6 | #2,392 | 228 | #141 |
| 1905 | — | — | 107 | #178 |
| 1900 | — | — | 85 | #214 |
| 1895 | — | — | 56 | #236 |
| 1890 | — | — | 45 | #254 |
| 1885 | — | — | 24 | #362 |
| 1880 | — | — | 23 | #361 |
Famous people named Wayne
- Wayne Dyer Writer · 1940–2015
- Wayne Shorter Musician · b. 1933
- Wayne Rooney Soccer player · b. 1985
- Wayne Gretzky Hockey player · b. 1961
- Wayne Knight Actor · b. 1955
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wayne mean?
A male given name transferred from the surname.
How popular is the name Wayne in 2025?
Wayne ranked #655 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 422 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wayne?
356,422 babies have been named Wayne in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wayne most popular?
Wayne peaked in 1947, when 10,202 newborns received the name.
Is Wayne a boy or girl name?
Wayne is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wayne rising or falling?
Wayne is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Wayne?
Well-known people named Wayne include Wayne Dyer (writer), Wayne Shorter (musician), Wayne Rooney (soccer player).