Holding steady, #9,714 for boys today.
Popularity of Wei since 1970
Babies named Wei per year in U.S. Social Security records.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0 | 31 |
| 1980s | 36 | 68 |
| 1990s | 33 | 108 |
| 2000s | 10 | 68 |
| 2010s | 0 | 8 |
| 2020s | 0 | 7 |
Meaning & origin
Wei is a Chinese name that has been in use in the United States since at least 1970, but it remains very rare. In 2025, it ranked 9,714, with about 1 in 244,011 newborns receiving the name. Its peak popularity occurred in 1998, and usage has remained relatively stable since then. The name is most common in Chinese-American communities, though no single state stands out in the data. As a unisex name, it is predominantly given to boys. Parents choosing Wei often value its strong meaning rooted in Chinese characters, such as 'greatness' or 'power,' and its concise, easy-to-pronounce sound in English.
Wei is a common Chinese name that can be written with various characters, each contributing a different meaning. The most frequent character 伟 (wěi) means 'great, magnificent,' while other characters like 威 (wēi) mean 'power, might,' or 维 (wéi) can indicate 'to hold, maintain.' As a given name, it is unisex but more often used for boys. It has been in use among Chinese-speaking communities for centuries, but its adoption in English-speaking countries began in the late 20th century.
Sibling names for Wei
Names that share Wei's style, for a brother or sister.
