Total births
1,916
Boys' name · since 1880
Wheeler
Wheeler has 1,916 recorded births since 1880 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 2024 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.
- #2835
- among boys today
- 1,916
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Wheeler currently ranks #2835 among boys' names in America, with 1,916 babies recorded since 1880.
Wheeler has 1,916 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #2835 as of the latest data, more common than 80% of boys, busiest in the 1920s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2835 among boys today
- 1,916 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 80% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Wheeler is currently the #2835 boys' name in America, more common than 80% of boys - 1,916 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2835
- among boys today
- 1,916
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 80%
- more common than other boys
Wheeler vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2835
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 80% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
15% of everyone ever named Wheeler was born in this single decade.
2024
Single peak year
45 babies were named Wheeler in 2024 - its busiest year on record.
How Wheeler compares
1,916 Top 22% higher than 78% 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
Wheeler's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Wheeler | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,916 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 45 | 23 | 22,252 |
Wheeler's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Wheeler splits its recorded history at 1950: 45% of all births land in the more recent half, 55% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1887 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2024 peak of 45 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Wheeler at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2024
Current rank
#2,835
Active since
1880
Wheeler popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2024)
- 45
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Wheeler popularity over time - girls
5 total births recorded since 1918 (Wheeler as girls' name)
Wheeler by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
1920s was Wheeler's strongest decade.
287 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 15% of all-time use.
Wheeler births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 73
1880s
73 births
- 1890s 59
1890s
59 births
- 1900s 75
1900s
75 births
- 1910s
1910s
219 births
- 1920s
1920s
287 births
- 1930s
1930s
171 births
- 1940s
1940s
168 births
- 1950s
1950s
133 births
- 1960s 57
1960s
57 births
- 1970s 47
1970s
47 births
- 1980s 30
1980s
30 births
- 1990s 73
1990s
73 births
- 2000s 104
2000s
104 births
- 2010s
2010s
220 births
- 2020s
2020s
200 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 287 births (15% of all-time use).
How Wheeler 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 Wheeler's total volume
Wheeler vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Wheeler by state
Where Wheeler concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Alabama | | 50 | 2.6% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 26 | 1.4% |
| #3 | Texas | | 16 | 0.8% |
| #4 | Kentucky | | 10 | 0.5% |
| #5 | Mississippi | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #6 | South Carolina | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #7 | Tennessee | | 5 | 0.3% |
Alabama share of Wheeler's total US births 2.6%
Even split
50 of 1,916 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 7 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wheeler? ▼
Wheeler has been given to 1,916 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #2835 as of the latest data. 45 babies were born in 2024, its single highest year.
When was Wheeler most popular? ▼
Wheeler was most popular in the 1920s decade with 287 total births. The single peak year was 2024.
Where is Wheeler most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wheeler are Alabama (50 births), North Carolina (26 births), Texas (16 births).
How long has the name Wheeler been used? ▼
Wheeler has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Wheeler? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include Whelan, Whelen, Wheaton. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wheeler's data
- Wheeler's usage has stayed within range of its 1920s decade-level peak (287 total births) through the 2020s (200) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Alabama records the most Wheelers (50 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Alabama 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 Wheeler
Nearby Names Like Wheeler
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wheeler
Compare Wheeler side by side: Wheeler vs Whelan Wheeler vs Whelen Wheeler vs Wheaton
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Wheeler
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, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wheeler: #2835 Boys' Name - 1,916 Births, Peak 2024." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wheeler. 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 Wheeler 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.