Holding steady.
Popularity of Wong since 1880
Babies named Wong per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1888, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Wong's real moment was 1901.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 68 |
| 1890s | 50 |
| 1900s | 42 |
| 1910s | 5 |
| 1920s | 0 |
| 1930s | 0 |
| 1940s | 0 |
| 1950s | 0 |
| 1960s | 0 |
| 1970s | 0 |
| 1980s | 12 |
| 1990s | 10 |
| 2000s | 0 |
| 2010s | 0 |
| 2020s | 0 |
Meaning & origin
Wong is a name almost never seen as a given name in the United States, but it has a long history as a prominent surname of Chinese origin. According to Social Security Administration data, the name first appeared as a given name in 1880, though it has never ranked in the top 1000. Its peak year of recorded usage was 1901, and usage has remained stable at extremely low levels through 2025. In its best years, it was given to fewer than 10 babies per year nationally. The name's meaning is tied to the Chinese character for 'king', but its use as a first name is so rare that it carries little to no cultural weight as a given name in English-speaking contexts.
Wong is a Cantonese romanization of the Chinese surname 王 (Wáng), meaning 'king' or 'monarch'. As a given name, it is rarely used in English-speaking countries, appearing predominantly as a surname. In the United States, it has seen occasional use as a first name, likely influenced by famous bearers or as a family name passed down.
Sibling names for Wong
Names that share Wong's style, for a brother or sister.
