Total births
6,989
Boys' name · since 1881
Wells
Wells has 6,989 recorded births since 1881 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2025 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #377
- among boys today
- 6,989
- born since 1881
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
6,989 babies have been named Wells since 1881, making it today's #377 boys' name.
Wells has 6,989 recorded births among boys since 1881, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #377 as of the latest data, more common than 97% of boys, busiest in the 2020s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1881 to 2025.
- #377 among boys today
- 6,989 born since 1881
- 2020s peak decade
- 97% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Wells is currently the #377 boys' name in America, more common than 97% of boys - 6,989 born since 1881, peaking in the 2020s.
- #377
- among boys today
- 6,989
- born since 1881
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Wells vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#377
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 97% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
62% of everyone ever named Wells was born in this single decade.
2025
Single peak year
944 babies were named Wells in 2025 - its busiest year on record.
How Wells compares
6,989 Top 10% higher than 90% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Wells's all-time total is 19x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Wells | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 6,989 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 944 | 23 | 22,252 |
Wells's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Wells's full recorded timeline at 1964, 89% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 11% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1881, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2025 peak of 944 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Wells at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2025
Current rank
#377
Active since
1881
Wells popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1881–2025
- Peak year (2025)
- 944
- Annual births at peak, across 145 years of records
Wells popularity over time - girls
175 total births recorded since 1998 (Wells as girls' name)
Wells by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Wells's strongest decade.
4,310 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 62% of all-time use.
Wells births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 16
1880s
16 births
- 1890s 5
1890s
5 births
- 1900s 6
1900s
6 births
- 1910s 172
1910s
172 births
- 1920s 193
1920s
193 births
- 1930s 119
1930s
119 births
- 1940s 110
1940s
110 births
- 1950s 90
1950s
90 births
- 1960s 68
1960s
68 births
- 1970s 87
1970s
87 births
- 1980s 71
1980s
71 births
- 1990s 103
1990s
103 births
- 2000s 166
2000s
166 births
- 2010s 1,473
2010s
1,473 births
- 2020s
2020s
4,310 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 4,310 births (62% of all-time use).
How Wells compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Wells's total volume
Wells vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Wells by state
Where Wells concentrates geographically, total births since 1881
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Texas | | 498 | 7.1% |
| #2 | Utah | | 340 | 4.9% |
| #3 | North Carolina | | 308 | 4.4% |
| #4 | California | | 289 | 4.1% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 222 | 3.2% |
| #6 | Tennessee | | 213 | 3.0% |
| #7 | Illinois | | 204 | 2.9% |
| #8 | Ohio | | 197 | 2.8% |
Texas share of Wells's total US births 7.1%
Even split
498 of 6,989 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 43 reporting states.
Wells appears in 43 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wells? ▼
Since 1881, Social Security records show 6,989 babies named Wells. Today it holds rank #377 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2025, with 944 births.
When was Wells most popular? ▼
Wells was most popular in the 2020s decade with 4,310 total births. The single peak year was 2025.
Where is Wells most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wells are Texas (498 births), Utah (340 births), North Carolina (308 births).
How long has the name Wells been used? ▼
Records for Wells go back to 1881, giving 145 years of history through 2025.
What names are similar to Wells? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Weldon, Wellington, Welton, Welford, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wells's data
- Texas records the most Wellss (498 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Texas names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Wells
Nearby Names Like Wells
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wells
Weldon Boy
#2962 14,249 births
Wellington Boy
#3220 2,879 births
Welton Boy
2,594 births
Welford Boy
487 births
Welles Boy
#3537 470 births
Compare Wells side by side: Wells vs Weldon Wells vs Wellington Wells vs Welton
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Wells
Kylo #376
5,345 births · Peak 2024
Eduardo #378
110,257 births · Peak 2001
Zander #375
28,750 births · Peak 2013
Raymond #379
779,794 births · Peak 1924
Stephen #374
864,739 births · Peak 1952
Hector #380
108,728 births · Peak 2005
Ricardo #373
146,456 births · Peak 1998
Eliam #381
4,439 births · Peak 2025
Data Sources
Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1881–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wells: #377 Boys' Name - 6,989 Births, Peak 2025." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wells. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Wells draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.