Wilder
Every Wilder since 1914 — 8,835 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wilder
Wilder is moderately common for boys in the United States, ranked #431 in 2025 with 743 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1914, 8,835 American babies have been named Wilder — about 93% boys and 7% girls, making it a genuinely unisex name. Its peak came in 2021, when 978 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 Wilder stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wilder 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 | 43 | #3,572 | 743 | #431 |
| 2024 | 49 | #3,275 | 836 | #390 |
| 2023 | 51 | #3,221 | 755 | #422 |
| 2022 | 89 | #2,155 | 867 | #374 |
| 2021 | 88 | #2,152 | 890 | #367 |
| 2020 | 72 | #2,438 | 695 | #427 |
| 2019 | 47 | #3,385 | 601 | #485 |
| 2018 | 53 | #3,104 | 540 | #527 |
| 2017 | 33 | #4,378 | 477 | #573 |
| 2016 | 38 | #3,991 | 338 | #726 |
| 2015 | 22 | #6,022 | 215 | #965 |
| 2014 | 10 | #10,916 | 134 | #1,317 |
| 2013 | 5 | #19,140 | 127 | #1,344 |
| 2012 | — | — | 93 | #1,667 |
| 2011 | — | — | 62 | #2,143 |
| 2010 | 5 | #19,689 | 65 | #2,097 |
| 2009 | 5 | #20,067 | 38 | #3,103 |
| 2008 | 7 | #15,326 | 59 | #2,262 |
| 2007 | — | — | 56 | #2,336 |
| 2006 | — | — | 37 | #3,022 |
| 2005 | — | — | 33 | #3,170 |
| 2004 | — | — | 45 | #2,487 |
| 2003 | — | — | 26 | #3,524 |
| 2002 | — | — | 25 | #3,550 |
| 2001 | — | — | 28 | #3,225 |
| 2000 | — | — | 19 | #4,200 |
| 1995 | — | — | 13 | #4,784 |
| 1990 | — | — | 14 | #4,162 |
| 1985 | — | — | 8 | #5,131 |
| 1980 | — | — | 5 | #7,271 |
| 1975 | — | — | — | — |
| 1970 | — | — | — | — |
| 1965 | — | — | — | — |
| 1960 | — | — | — | — |
| 1955 | — | — | — | — |
| 1950 | — | — | 5 | #4,182 |
| 1945 | — | — | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — | — | — |
| 1935 | — | — | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — | — | — |
| 1925 | 5 | #5,747 | 7 | #3,729 |
| 1920 | — | — | 6 | #4,271 |
| 1915 | — | — | 9 | #2,821 |
| 1910 | — | — | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — | — | — |
Famous people named Wilder
- Wilder Penfield Biologist · 1891–1976
- Wilder Cartagena Soccer player · b. 1994
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Wilder in 2025?
Wilder ranked #431 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 743 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wilder?
8,835 babies have been named Wilder in the United States since 1914, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wilder most popular?
Wilder peaked in 2021, when 978 newborns received the name.
Is Wilder a boy or girl name?
Wilder is used for both: about 7% of babies named Wilder have been girls and 93% boys.
Is the name Wilder rising or falling?
Wilder is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Wilder?
Well-known people named Wilder include Wilder Penfield (biologist), Wilder Cartagena (soccer player).