A 1880s favorite, climbing again.
Popularity of Wess since 1883
Babies named Wess per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1965, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Wess's real moment was 1883.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 7 |
| 1890s | 22 |
| 1900s | 11 |
| 1910s | 25 |
| 1920s | 17 |
| 1930s | 21 |
| 1940s | 5 |
| 1950s | 44 |
| 1960s | 107 |
| 1970s | 75 |
| 1980s | 69 |
| 1990s | 11 |
| 2000s | 30 |
| 2010s | 19 |
| 2020s | 50 |
Meaning & origin
Wess is an extremely rare given name with a peak in the 1880s, when it first appeared in U.S. records in 1883. After a long period of near-disappearance, it has been on a steady rise since 2015, though it remains uncommon with a current rank of 8910 and an incidence of roughly 1 in 213,510 births. Its origins are uncertain but likely tied to the more familiar Wesley or the historic region of Wessex. The name has no recorded top states, reflecting its rarity, and it has no well-known variants or nicknames. As a short, sturdy-sounding name, it fits a modern trend toward concise, surname-inspired choices.
Wess is likely a shortened form of Wesley, which derives from an Old English place name meaning 'western meadow'. It may also be a contraction of Wessex, the ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom. As a given name, it has seen sporadic use, with a notable spike in the 1880s.
Sibling names for Wess
Names that share Wess's style, for a brother or sister.
