boy's name
Wilfred
WIL-frid
- Origin English
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 35,939
England and Wales
#113
2025 births
Wilfred is a boy's name of Old English origin meaning "desiring peace." It comes from wil, will or desire, and frith, peace — so the name describes wanting peace rather than possessing it.
- Wilfred is a name of English origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1920, when 811 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,109 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Wilfred over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Wilfred is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. 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 | 308 |
| 1890s | 510 |
| 1900s | 767 |
| 1910s | 5,010 |
| 1920s | 7,198 |
| 1930s | 4,490 |
| 1940s | 3,263 |
| 1950s | 2,838 |
| 1960s | 1,954 |
| 1970s | 1,063 |
| 1980s | 804 |
| 1990s | 541 |
| 2000s | 343 |
| 2010s | 262 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 169 |
What Wilfred means
Wilfred means one who wills peace, or desires peace. The pairing is deliberate: the first element is active wanting, so the name promises effort toward peace rather than a peaceful temperament.
Where Wilfred comes from
Wilfred descends from the Old English Wilfrith, from wil, will or desire, and frith, peace. Saint Wilfrid, the seventh-century bishop of York, argued the Roman case at the Synod of Whitby in 664 — the decision that aligned the English church with Rome rather than the Irish tradition — which kept the name in use after the Conquest when most Old English names were dropped. Wilfred Owen, killed a week before the Armistice in 1918, is the name's best-known modern bearer, and his poetry is inseparable from British memory of the First World War.
Wilfred in use
Our data shows Wilfred stable, peaking in 1920, at 113 in England and Wales against 841 in the United States. It first appears in our records in 1880. Its pet form Wilf has risen alongside it, following the same British pattern as Alfie, Albie and Freddie.
How popular is Wilfred?
In 2025, Wilfred was given to 475 babies in England and Wales, ranking #113 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Wilfred is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Wilfred
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Wilfred also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Wilfred over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
3 nicknames for Wilfred
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.
Wilfred 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 Wilfred
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Wilfred — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Wilfred
What does the name Wilfred mean?
Wilfred means "desiring peace," from the Old English wil, will, and frith, peace.
Is Wilfred an Anglo-Saxon name?
Yes, and one of the few to survive the Norman Conquest, largely through Saint Wilfrid of York.
What is Wilfred short for?
Nothing — it is the full name. Wilf is its usual short form, and it is increasingly registered on its own.
How popular is the name Wilfred?
In 2025, Wilfred was given to 475 babies in England and Wales, ranking #113 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Is Wilfred a girl's or a boy's name?
Wilfred is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in Wilfred?
Wilfred has 2 syllables.
When was Wilfred most popular?
Wilfred peaked in 1920, when 811 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for Wilfred?
Wilfred is usually shortened to Wilf, Will and Fred.
Is Wilfred a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Wilfred currently ranks #113 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.