Wilmer
From Old English willa (“mind, will, determination, purpose, desire, wish”) + mǣre (“famous”), from Proto-Germanic *Wiljamērijaz, from *wiljô + *mērijaz.
Every Wilmer since 1880 — 16,722 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wilmer
Wilmer is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #1,742 in 2025 with 94 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 16,722 American babies have been named Wilmer. Its peak came in 1920, when 473 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 Wilmer stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wilmer 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 | — | — | 94 | #1,742 |
| 2024 | — | — | 88 | #1,854 |
| 2023 | — | — | 115 | #1,537 |
| 2022 | — | — | 109 | #1,610 |
| 2021 | — | — | 106 | #1,613 |
| 2020 | — | — | 76 | #1,935 |
| 2019 | — | — | 95 | #1,688 |
| 2018 | — | — | 96 | #1,670 |
| 2017 | — | — | 82 | #1,826 |
| 2016 | — | — | 108 | #1,547 |
| 2015 | — | — | 103 | #1,579 |
| 2014 | — | — | 99 | #1,596 |
| 2013 | — | — | 88 | #1,693 |
| 2012 | — | — | 94 | #1,656 |
| 2011 | — | — | 108 | #1,502 |
| 2010 | — | — | 124 | #1,371 |
| 2009 | — | — | 135 | #1,303 |
| 2008 | — | — | 120 | #1,413 |
| 2007 | — | — | 175 | #1,069 |
| 2006 | — | — | 149 | #1,143 |
| 2005 | — | — | 137 | #1,169 |
| 2004 | — | — | 116 | #1,291 |
| 2003 | — | — | 100 | #1,363 |
| 2002 | — | — | 101 | #1,325 |
| 2001 | — | — | 113 | #1,202 |
| 2000 | — | — | 95 | #1,352 |
| 1995 | — | — | 62 | #1,548 |
| 1990 | — | — | 50 | #1,661 |
| 1985 | — | — | 46 | #1,483 |
| 1980 | — | — | 31 | #1,850 |
| 1975 | — | — | 36 | #1,504 |
| 1970 | — | — | 48 | #1,206 |
| 1965 | — | — | 47 | #1,093 |
| 1960 | — | — | 71 | #904 |
| 1955 | — | — | 105 | #714 |
| 1950 | 10 | #3,660 | 93 | #715 |
| 1945 | 8 | #3,673 | 115 | #562 |
| 1940 | 11 | #2,733 | 158 | #461 |
| 1935 | 17 | #2,004 | 194 | #394 |
| 1930 | 18 | #2,020 | 265 | #347 |
| 1925 | 24 | #1,792 | 356 | #302 |
| 1920 | 30 | #1,510 | 443 | #259 |
| 1915 | 24 | #1,522 | 352 | #256 |
| 1910 | 12 | #1,418 | 56 | #331 |
| 1905 | 6 | #1,924 | 37 | #336 |
| 1900 | 9 | #1,428 | 43 | #329 |
| 1895 | — | — | 27 | #367 |
| 1890 | — | — | 15 | #510 |
| 1885 | — | — | 16 | #479 |
| 1880 | — | — | 19 | #401 |
Famous people named Wilmer
- Wilmer Valderrama Actor · b. 1980
- Wilmer Allison Tennis player · 1904–1977
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wilmer mean?
From Old English willa (“mind, will, determination, purpose, desire, wish”) + mǣre (“famous”), from Proto-Germanic *Wiljamērijaz, from *wiljô + *mērijaz.
How popular is the name Wilmer in 2025?
Wilmer ranked #1,742 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 94 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wilmer?
16,722 babies have been named Wilmer in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wilmer most popular?
Wilmer peaked in 1920, when 473 newborns received the name.
Is Wilmer a boy or girl name?
Wilmer is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 96% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wilmer rising or falling?
Wilmer has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Wilmer?
Well-known people named Wilmer include Wilmer Valderrama (actor), Wilmer Allison (tennis player).