Baby names starting with W
42 names beginning with W, each with an editorial meaning and origin note and its real popularity rank from the 2025 U.S. Social Security Administration data. Rank is U.S.-only and reflects how records are grouped in that source.
- Wade either from Old English 'waed' = a ford, as a place surname, or from Wada, a sea-figure of Germanic legend
- Walker transferred surname, an occupational name for a fuller of cloth, from Middle English 'walkere' = one who treads cloth to clean and thicken it
- Walter from the Germanic Waldhar, 'wald' = rule + 'hari' = army; 'ruler of the army'
- Warren either a Norman surname from La Varenne in Normandy, or from Middle English 'wareine' = a game park or rabbit warren
- Watson transferred English surname meaning 'son of Wat', Wat being a medieval pet form of Walter, from Germanic 'wald' = rule + 'heri' = army
- Waverly respelling of Waverley, an English place name from Old English 'waefre' = wavering, restless + 'leah' = wood, clearing; popularized by Walter Scott's novel Waverley
- Waylen modern variant of Waylon, from the English name Wayland, borne by Weland the legendary smith of Germanic myth; the root of the name is debated
- Waylon modern American variant of Wayland, from Old English Weland, the legendary smith of Germanic myth; popularized by the country singer Waylon Jennings
- Wayne occupational surname for a carter or cartwright, from Old English 'waegn' = wagon; spread as a given name after the actor John Wayne
- Wells transferred English surname meaning 'dweller by the springs', from Old English 'wella' = spring, well
- Wes short form of Wesley, from an English place name meaning west meadow
- Wesley transferred surname, from an English place name meaning 'west meadow', from Old English 'west' + 'leah' = wood, clearing; spread as a given name in honour of John Wesley, founder of Methodism
- West English word name and transferred surname, from Old English 'west', for someone living west of a settlement
- Westen modern respelling of Weston, an English place-name surname = 'west settlement', from Old English 'west' + 'tun'
- Westin modern respelling of Weston, an English place-name surname = 'west settlement', from Old English 'west' + 'tun'
- Westley variant of Wesley, a transferred surname from an English place name meaning west meadow, Old English 'west' + 'leah'
- Weston surname from any of many English places, Old English 'west' + 'tun' = settlement, farmstead
- Westyn modern respelling of Weston, an English place name and surname from Old English 'west' + 'tun' = enclosure, settlement
- Whitley transferred English surname from a place name, from Old English 'hwit' = white + 'leah' = clearing
- Whitney English place name and surname, from Old English 'hwit' = white + 'eg' = island; 'white island'
- Wilder transferred surname, from Middle English and German 'wild' = wild, untamed, originally a nickname for an unruly person
- Wiley transferred English surname, either from the River Wylye in Wiltshire or from a medieval pet form of William
- Will short form of William, from Germanic 'wil' = will, desire + 'helm' = helmet, protection
- Willa feminine form of William, from Germanic 'wil' = will, desire + 'helm' = helmet, protection
- William from the Germanic Willahelm, 'wil' = will, desire + 'helm' = helmet, protection; carried into England by William the Conqueror after 1066
- Willow from the tree, Old English 'welig'; its pliant branches gave it associations with both grace and mourning
- Wilson surname meaning 'son of Will', a short form of William
- Winnie diminutive of Winifred, from the Welsh Gwenfrewi, 'gwen' = white, blessed; also used for Winona and Edwina
- Winona from the Dakota Winona, the name traditionally given to a firstborn daughter; also the Minnesota town
- Winslow transferred English surname from a place name, from the Old English personal name Wine ('friend') + 'hlaw' = hill, mound
- Winston surname from the English village of Winston, from an Old English personal name plus 'tun' = settlement; carried in the 20th century by Winston Churchill
- Winter English word name, from the season; Old English 'winter'
- Wisdom English word name, from Old English 'wisdom' = knowledge, learning
- Wren from the small bird, Old English 'wrenna'
- Wrenlee modern American coinage, joining the bird name Wren (Old English 'wrenna') with the popular '-lee' ending
- Wrenleigh modern American coinage, the bird name 'wren', from Old English 'wrenna', with the -leigh ending
- Wrenley modern American coinage joining the bird name Wren (Old English 'wrenna') to the suffix -ley, from Old English 'leah' = wood, clearing
- Wrenly modern American coinage, the bird name 'wren', from Old English 'wrenna', with the -ly ending
- Wyatt transferred surname from the medieval given name Wyot, from Old English Wigheard, 'wig' = war + 'heard' = hardy, brave
- Wylder modern respelling of Wilder, an English surname from Middle English 'wilde' = wild, untamed
- Wylie transferred English and Scottish surname, either from the River Wylye in Wiltshire or from a medieval pet form of William
- Wynter modern respelling of Winter, the English season name, from Old English 'winter'
Only names carrying a meaning note are listed here. Popularity-only records exist for many more spellings and are reachable through the full directory search.
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