Total births
318
Boys' name · since 1916
Wilkes
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 318 babies named Wilkes, peaking in 2018. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #4336
- among boys today
- 318
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Wilkes currently ranks #4336 among boys' names in America, with 318 babies recorded since 1916.
Wilkes has 318 recorded births among boys since 1916, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4336 as of the latest data, more common than 70% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #4336 among boys today
- 318 born since 1916
- 2010s peak decade
- 70% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Wilkes is currently the #4336 boys' name in America, more common than 70% of boys - 318 born since 1916, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4336
- among boys today
- 318
- born since 1916
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 70%
- more common than other boys
Wilkes vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4336
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 70% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
39% of everyone ever named Wilkes was born in this single decade.
2018
Single peak year
30 babies were named Wilkes in 2018 - its busiest year on record.
How Wilkes compares
318 47th percentile among 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
Wilkes's all-time total is 13% below the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Wilkes | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 318 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 30 | 23 | 22,252 |
Wilkes's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Wilkes's full recorded timeline at 2012, 72% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 28% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1922, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2018 peak of 30 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Wilkes at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2018
Current rank
#4,336
Active since
1916
Wilkes popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2018)
- 30
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Wilkes by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Wilkes's strongest decade.
125 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 39% of all-time use.
Wilkes births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 12
1910s
12 births
- 1920s 21
1920s
21 births
- 1940s 11
1940s
11 births
- 1950s 5
1950s
5 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 2000s 23
2000s
23 births
- 2010s
2010s
125 births
- 2020s
2020s
116 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 125 births (39% of all-time use).
Wilkes by state
Where Wilkes concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Georgia | | 36 | 11.3% |
| #2 | North Carolina | | 5 | 1.6% |
Georgia share of Wilkes's total US births 11.3%
Even split
36 of 318 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 2 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wilkes? ▼
318 babies have been named Wilkes since 1916. It currently ranks #4336 among boys. The peak year was 2018 with 30 births.
When was Wilkes most popular? ▼
Wilkes was most popular in the 2010s decade with 125 total births. The single peak year was 2018.
Where is Wilkes most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wilkes are Georgia (36 births), North Carolina (5 births).
How long has the name Wilkes been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Wilkes since 1916 -- 110 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Wilkes? ▼
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 Wilkes's data
- Wilkes's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (125 total births) through the 2020s (116) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- Georgia records the most Wilkess (36 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Georgia 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 Wilkes
Nearby Names Like Wilkes
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wilkes
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 Wilkes side by side: Wilkes vs William Wilkes vs Willie Wilkes vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Wilkes
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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wilkes: #4336 Boys' Name - 318 Births, Peak 2018." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wilkes. 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 Wilkes 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.