boy's name
Wilbur
WIL-bur
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Uncommon
- Births on record 58,258
England and Wales
#579
2025 births
Wilbur ranks 579th in England and Wales against 3956th in the United States, so a name most people think of as thoroughly American is now used more than six times more readily in England.
- Wilbur is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in 1918, when 1,809 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
- Today about 1 in 122,805 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Wilbur over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 914 |
| 1890s | 1,142 |
| 1900s | 1,839 |
| 1910s | 12,475 |
| 1920s | 15,834 |
| 1930s | 9,109 |
| 1940s | 5,985 |
| 1950s | 4,150 |
| 1960s | 2,572 |
| 1970s | 1,273 |
| 1980s | 782 |
| 1990s | 433 |
| 2000s | 259 |
| 2010s | 251 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 178 |
What Wilbur means
Wilbur means bright will, or resolute and famous. The Germanic elements joined in it concern determination and renown, though which second element is involved is disputed.
Where Wilbur comes from
Wilbur descends from a medieval English surname, itself probably from a Germanic personal name in wil, will or desire, joined to beorht, bright — though a derivation from a place name in burh, a fortified place, is also proposed and the two are hard to separate. Wilbur Wright and his brother Orville built and flew the first controlled powered aircraft in 1903; both were given unusual names by a father who disliked the common ones.
Wilbur in use
Wilbur peaked in the United States in 1918, when 1,809 babies were registered, and our data marks it reviving. It now ranks 579th in England and Wales on 67 births and 3956th in the United States on 27, across 58,258 lifetime births in two of the seven markets we track. England and Wales ranking it more than six times higher than America is a reversal of where the name is usually placed.
How popular is Wilbur?
In 2025, Wilbur was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Where Wilbur is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Wilbur
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Wilbur also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Wilbur over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
1 nickname for Wilbur
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Wilbur in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
Sibling names for Wilbur
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Wilbur — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Wilbur
What does the name Wilbur mean?
Bright will — wil, desire, with beorht, bright, though the second element is disputed.
Where is Wilbur most used?
England and Wales at 579th, more than six times higher than the United States.
Who was Wilbur Wright?
With his brother Orville, the builder of the first controlled powered aircraft in 1903.
Is Wilbur coming back?
Our data marks it reviving, led by England and Wales rather than America.
How popular is the name Wilbur?
In 2025, Wilbur was given to 27 babies in the United States. It is used consistently but remains uncommon.
Is Wilbur a girl's or a boy's name?
Wilbur is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Wilbur?
Wilbur has 2 syllables.
When was Wilbur most popular?
Wilbur peaked in 1918, when 1,809 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Wilbur?
Wilbur is usually shortened to Will.
Is Wilbur a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Wilbur currently ranks #579 in the United States. After peaking in the 1910s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.