Total births
8,197
Unisex name · since 1914
Wilder
8,197 babies named Wilder in U.S. Social Security records since 1914, with the highest year being 2021. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #390
- among boys today
- 8,197
- born since 1914
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
8,197 babies have been named Wilder since 1914, making it today's #390 unisex name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Wilder has been recorded 8,197 times among boys since 1914, currently ranked #390 nationally and more common than 97% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2020s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #390 among boys today
- 8,197 born since 1914
- 2020s peak decade
- 97% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Wilder is currently the #390 unisex name in America, more common than 97% of boys - 8,197 born since 1914, peaking in the 2020s.
- #390
- among boys today
- 8,197
- born since 1914
- 2020s
- peak decade
- 97%
- more common than other boys
Wilder vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#390
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 97% of names given to boys today.
2020s
Peak decade
58% of everyone ever named Wilder was born in this single decade.
2021
Single peak year
890 babies were named Wilder in 2021 - its busiest year on record.
How Wilder compares
8,197 Top 9% higher than 91% 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
Wilder's all-time total is 22x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Wilder | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 8,197 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 890 | 23 | 22,252 |
Wilder's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Wilder's SSA record in two at 1991 and the more recent half accounts for 97% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 3%, consistent with a name still gaining ground rather than fading. Its calmest year was 1919, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2021 peak of 890, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Wilder at a glance
Top 1,000 boys' namePeak year
2021
Current rank
#390
Active since
1914
Wilder popularity over time - boys
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (2021)
- 890
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Wilder popularity over time - girls
638 total births recorded since 1918 (Wilder as girls' name)
Wilder by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2020s was Wilder's strongest decade.
4,786 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 58% of all-time use.
Wilder births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 47
1910s
47 births
- 1920s 72
1920s
72 births
- 1930s 26
1930s
26 births
- 1940s 15
1940s
15 births
- 1950s 16
1950s
16 births
- 1960s 6
1960s
6 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 51
1980s
51 births
- 1990s 155
1990s
155 births
- 2000s 366
2000s
366 births
- 2010s
2010s
2,652 births
- 2020s
2020s
4,786 births
What this shows Peak: 2020s at 4,786 births (58% of all-time use).
How Wilder 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 Wilder's total volume
Wilder vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Wilder by state
Where Wilder concentrates geographically, total births since 1914
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 685 | 8.4% |
| #2 | Texas | | 484 | 5.9% |
| #3 | Tennessee | | 382 | 4.7% |
| #4 | Florida | | 348 | 4.2% |
| #5 | North Carolina | | 280 | 3.4% |
| #6 | Georgia | | 273 | 3.3% |
| #7 | Washington | | 242 | 3.0% |
| #8 | Colorado | | 238 | 2.9% |
California share of Wilder's total US births 8.4%
Even split
685 of 8,197 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 47 reporting states.
Wilder appears in 47 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wilder? ▼
Since 1914, Social Security records show 8,197 babies named Wilder. Today it holds rank #390 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2021, with 890 births.
When was Wilder most popular? ▼
Wilder was most popular in the 2020s decade with 4,786 total births. The single peak year was 2021.
Where is Wilder most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wilder are California (685 births), Texas (484 births), Tennessee (382 births).
Is Wilder a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Wilder is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 8,197 births, and as a girl's name it has 638 births.
How long has the name Wilder been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Wilder since 1914 -- 112 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Wilder? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include William, Willie, Willard, Wilbur, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wilder's data
- California records the most Wilders (685 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Wilder
Nearby Names Like Wilder
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wilder
William Boy
#10 4,199,696 births
Willie Boy
#1364 450,188 births
Willard Boy
#2958 77,658 births
Wilbur Boy
#2959 56,906 births
Willis Boy
#2638 52,336 births
Compare Wilder side by side: Wilder vs William Wilder vs Willie Wilder vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Wilder
Kamari #389
12,545 births · Peak 2022
Marshall #391
97,447 births · Peak 1947
Franklin #388
141,728 births · Peak 1933
Khalil #392
25,021 births · Peak 2020
Marco #387
76,578 births · Peak 2005
Jared #393
206,351 births · Peak 1998
Julius #386
84,628 births · Peak 1918
Jaden #394
81,469 births · Peak 2007
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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wilder: #390 Unisex Name - 8,197 Births, Peak 2021." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wilder. 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 Wilder 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.