Wells
#7,491 for girls in 2025, 14 births · #345 for boys in 2025, 944 births
Given to boys 97.6% of the time
- Peak · boys
- 2025 · 944 births
- Debut · boys
- 5 births
- In top 100 · boys
- neverof 146 years
- Total births · boys
- 6,989since 1881
Wells over time
Rank among boys' names. Wells has never cracked the top 300 here.
Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.
Show data table
| Year | girls | boys | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| rank | births | rank | births | |
| 2025 | #7,491 | 14 | #345 | 944 |
| 2024 | #8,443 | 12 | #377 | 869 |
| 2023 | #6,409 | 18 | #447 | 696 |
| 2022 | #7,281 | 15 | #467 | 659 |
| 2021 | #6,691 | 17 | #482 | 621 |
| 2020 | #9,546 | 10 | #545 | 521 |
| 2019 | #6,414 | 18 | #626 | 432 |
| 2018 | #8,146 | 13 | #730 | 327 |
| 2017 | #9,943 | 10 | #916 | 233 |
| 2016 | #8,875 | 12 | #1,413 | 124 |
| 2015 | #13,006 | 7 | #1,729 | 89 |
| 2014 | #13,069 | 7 | #1,714 | 88 |
| 2013 | #14,582 | 6 | #2,182 | 60 |
| 2012 | — | #2,448 | 51 | |
| 2011 | #16,764 | 5 | #3,046 | 37 |
| 2010 | #14,959 | 6 | #3,377 | 32 |
| 2009 | — | #4,922 | 19 | |
| 2008 | — | #5,249 | 17 | |
| 2007 | — | #5,210 | 17 | |
| 2006 | — | #5,072 | 17 | |
| 2005 | — | #4,062 | 22 | |
| 2004 | — | #4,005 | 22 | |
| 2003 | — | #4,426 | 18 | |
| 2002 | — | #6,522 | 10 | |
| 2001 | — | #6,935 | 9 | |
| 2000 | — | #4,785 | 15 | |
| 1999 | — | #6,042 | 10 | |
| 1998 | #14,122 | 5 | #4,650 | 14 |
| 1997 | — | #5,288 | 11 | |
| 1996 | — | #7,971 | 6 | |
| 1995 | — | #5,928 | 9 | |
| 1994 | — | #5,868 | 9 | |
| 1993 | — | #5,360 | 10 | |
| 1992 | — | #4,872 | 11 | |
| 1991 | — | #4,005 | 14 | |
| 1990 | — | #5,382 | 9 | |
| 1989 | — | #6,229 | 7 | |
| 1988 | — | #5,200 | 8 | |
| 1987 | — | #5,459 | 7 | |
| 1986 | — | #3,882 | 11 | |
| 1985 | — | #4,333 | 9 | |
| 1984 | — | #3,701 | 11 | |
| 1983 | — | #4,907 | 7 | |
| 1982 | — | — | ||
| 1981 | — | #5,468 | 6 | |
| 1980 | — | #6,250 | 5 | |
| 1979 | — | #3,810 | 10 | |
| 1978 | — | #4,157 | 8 | |
| 1977 | — | #5,123 | 6 | |
| 1976 | — | #3,095 | 12 | |
| 1975 | — | #4,797 | 6 | |
| 1974 | — | #3,558 | 9 | |
| 1973 | — | #2,716 | 13 | |
| 1972 | — | — | ||
| 1971 | — | #3,146 | 10 | |
| 1970 | — | #2,621 | 13 | |
| 1969 | — | #3,314 | 8 | |
| 1968 | — | #2,445 | 12 | |
| 1967 | — | #3,231 | 7 | |
| 1966 | — | #3,948 | 5 | |
| 1965 | — | — | ||
| 1964 | — | #4,039 | 5 | |
| 1963 | — | #3,318 | 7 | |
| 1962 | — | #3,305 | 7 | |
| 1961 | — | #3,356 | 7 | |
| 1960 | — | #2,685 | 10 | |
| 1959 | — | #3,619 | 6 | |
| 1958 | — | #3,275 | 7 | |
| 1957 | — | #3,257 | 7 | |
| 1956 | — | #3,535 | 6 | |
| 1955 | — | #2,302 | 12 | |
| 1954 | — | #2,044 | 15 | |
| 1953 | — | #3,143 | 7 | |
| 1952 | — | #3,095 | 7 | |
| 1951 | — | #2,495 | 10 | |
| 1950 | — | #2,111 | 13 | |
| 1949 | — | #2,802 | 8 | |
| 1948 | — | #1,943 | 15 | |
| 1947 | — | #2,356 | 11 | |
| 1946 | — | #1,949 | 14 | |
| 1945 | — | #2,009 | 12 | |
| 1944 | — | #2,862 | 7 | |
| 1943 | — | #1,986 | 14 | |
| 1942 | — | #2,386 | 10 | |
| 1941 | — | #2,333 | 10 | |
| 1940 | — | #2,478 | 9 | |
| 1939 | — | #2,050 | 12 | |
| 1938 | — | #1,818 | 15 | |
| 1937 | — | #2,197 | 11 | |
| 1936 | — | — | ||
| 1935 | — | #2,246 | 11 | |
| 1934 | — | #1,860 | 15 | |
| 1933 | — | #2,542 | 9 | |
| 1932 | — | #2,101 | 13 | |
| 1931 | — | #1,843 | 16 | |
| 1930 | — | #1,821 | 17 | |
| 1929 | — | #2,980 | 8 | |
| 1928 | — | #1,960 | 16 | |
| 1927 | — | #1,692 | 21 | |
| 1926 | — | #2,074 | 15 | |
| 1925 | — | #2,193 | 14 | |
| 1924 | — | #1,675 | 22 | |
| 1923 | — | #2,123 | 15 | |
| 1922 | — | #1,434 | 27 | |
| 1921 | — | #1,178 | 37 | |
| 1920 | — | #1,885 | 18 | |
| 1919 | — | #1,408 | 26 | |
| 1918 | — | #1,905 | 17 | |
| 1917 | — | #1,693 | 19 | |
| 1916 | — | #1,549 | 21 | |
| 1915 | — | #1,410 | 23 | |
| 1914 | — | #1,342 | 20 | |
| 1913 | — | #1,580 | 12 | |
| 1912 | — | #1,023 | 20 | |
| 1911 | — | #1,290 | 8 | |
| 1910 | — | #1,421 | 6 | |
| 1909 | — | — | ||
| 1908 | — | — | ||
| 1907 | — | — | ||
| 1906 | — | — | ||
| 1905 | — | — | ||
| 1904 | — | — | ||
| 1903 | — | — | ||
| 1902 | — | — | ||
| 1901 | — | — | ||
| 1900 | — | #1,162 | 6 | |
| 1899 | — | — | ||
| 1898 | — | — | ||
| 1897 | — | — | ||
| 1896 | — | — | ||
| 1895 | — | #1,079 | 5 | |
| 1894 | — | — | ||
| 1893 | — | — | ||
| 1892 | — | — | ||
| 1891 | — | — | ||
| 1890 | — | — | ||
| 1889 | — | — | ||
| 1888 | — | — | ||
| 1887 | — | — | ||
| 1886 | — | #845 | 6 | |
| 1885 | — | — | ||
| 1884 | — | #971 | 5 | |
| 1883 | — | — | ||
| 1882 | — | — | ||
| 1881 | — | #866 | 5 | |
| 1880 | — | — | ||
The first year at least five boys were named Wells! It came in at #866, and was given to 5 baby boys.
Quietest stretch: 1881–1885, when fewer than 6 boys a year got the name.
Where Wells is popular in 2021
- Rank in state
- Top 10
- 11–50
- 51–100
- 101–500
- 501+
- Not published
Hover or tap a state for its numbers.
- Utah#166 · 1 in 582
- Nebraska#173 · 1 in 556
- New Hampshire#174 · 1 in 583
- North Dakota#208 · 1 in 588
- Iowa#241 · 1 in 879
Best ever in a state: #93 in North Dakota, 2025.
Show every state
| State | Rank | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Utah | #166 | 33 | 1 in 582 |
| Nebraska | #173 | 16 | 1 in 556 |
| New Hampshire | #174 | 8 | 1 in 583 |
| North Dakota | #208 | 6 | 1 in 588 |
| Iowa | #241 | 16 | 1 in 879 |
| South Dakota | #256 | 5 | 1 in 755 |
| Colorado | #258 | 26 | 1 in 993 |
| Minnesota | #301 | 20 | 1 in 1,257 |
| Massachusetts | #310 | 18 | 1 in 1,584 |
| Kentucky | #311 | 15 | 1 in 1,323 |
| Wisconsin | #314 | 18 | 1 in 1,351 |
| North Carolina | #331 | 34 | 1 in 1,501 |
| Kansas | #350 | 10 | 1 in 1,381 |
| Tennessee | #352 | 23 | 1 in 1,558 |
| Oregon | #355 | 11 | 1 in 1,445 |
| Indiana | #364 | 20 | 1 in 1,638 |
| Georgia | #368 | 30 | 1 in 1,679 |
| South Carolina | #374 | 12 | 1 in 1,688 |
| Michigan | #380 | 23 | 1 in 1,868 |
| Idaho | #406 | 5 | 1 in 1,603 |
| Virginia | #436 | 18 | 1 in 2,173 |
| Alabama | #441 | 11 | 1 in 2,001 |
| Missouri | #441 | 13 | 1 in 2,196 |
| Illinois | #449 | 23 | 1 in 2,344 |
| Louisiana | #458 | 11 | 1 in 1,976 |
| Ohio | #571 | 16 | 1 in 3,388 |
| Pennsylvania | #612 | 14 | 1 in 3,961 |
| Texas | #631 | 45 | 1 in 3,803 |
| Arizona | #636 | 9 | 1 in 3,625 |
| Washington | #680 | 9 | 1 in 3,711 |
| Maryland | #708 | 6 | 1 in 4,158 |
| California | #715 | 37 | 1 in 5,118 |
| Florida | #742 | 19 | 1 in 4,882 |
| New York | #938 | 13 | 1 in 6,856 |
| New Jersey | #1,036 | 5 | 1 in 8,111 |
| Alaska | — | — | — |
| Arkansas | — | — | — |
| Connecticut | — | — | — |
| Delaware | — | — | — |
| District of Columbia | — | — | — |
| Hawaii | — | — | — |
| Maine | — | — | — |
| Mississippi | — | — | — |
| Montana | — | — | — |
| Nevada | — | — | — |
| New Mexico | — | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — | — |
| Rhode Island | — | — | — |
| Vermont | — | — | — |
| West Virginia | — | — | — |
| Wyoming | — | — | — |
Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.
See more about Wells
- 32 spots since 2024 (#377 → #345)
- 200 spots since 2020 (#545 → #345)
- 1,384 spots since 2015 (#1,729 → #345)
- Biggest jump: 497 spots in 2017 (#1,413 → #916)
- Debuted 1881
- Peaked 2025 at #345 (944 births)
- Not yet halved from its peak
- Top 10: never
- Top 100: never
- Top 1,000: 12 yrs · run 2017–2025
- Highest: 1 in 1,809 boys born in 2025 were named Wells (0.06%)
- 61.7% of all boys named Wells (4,310) were born in this decade
Show by decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank | Avg rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 16 | #845 (1886) | #894 |
| 1890s | 5 | #1,079 (1895) | #1,079 |
| 1900s | 6 | #1,162 (1900) | #1,162 |
| 1910s | 172 | #1,023 (1912) | #1,462 |
| 1920s | 193 | #1,178 (1921) | #1,919 |
| 1930s | 119 | #1,818 (1938) | #2,053 |
| 1940s | 110 | #1,943 (1948) | #2,310 |
| 1950s | 90 | #2,044 (1954) | #2,888 |
| 1960s | 68 | #2,445 (1968) | #3,293 |
| 1970s | 87 | #2,621 (1970) | #3,669 |
| 1980s | 71 | #3,701 (1984) | #5,048 |
| 1990s | 103 | #4,005 (1991) | #5,537 |
| 2000s | 166 | #4,005 (2004) | #5,119 |
| 2010s | 1,473 | #626 (2019) | #1,818 |
| 2020s | 4,310 | #345 (2025) | #444 |
All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.
Wells in 2021
Top girls' names in 2021
Top boys' names in 2021
More about 2021
girls
1,640,861 girls got a published name in 2021; 1 in 96,521 of them was named Wells, which outranked 62.1% of the 17,676 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 7.7% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).
- #6,414Zelina18
- #6,414Zhane18
- #6,414Zohra18
- #6,691Wells17
- #6,691Abena17
- #6,691Adama17
- #6,691Adaora17
- #6,967Aairah16
- #6,967Aalyah16
- #6,967Aaron16
Tied with 275 names at #6,691; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.
boys
1,749,482 boys got a published name in 2021; 1 in 2,817 of them was named Wells, which outranked 96.6% of the 14,096 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 7.8% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).
Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.