UK boy's name
Wiley
A diminutive form of the name William, meaning "resolute protector".
For 2026, the newest official UK baby-name figures on this page are from 2020. That release is the current official benchmark rather than a forecast.
Wiley is a boy's name in the UK records. People looking for Wiley popularity in 2026 should use the latest official release, which is 2020 in this profile. In that release it ranked #4608, with 3 babies registered with the name. Its strongest year in the published records was 2015, with 4 births.
This profile covers 14 England and Wales registrations across 4 recorded years from 2015 to 2020. The figures come from ONS England and Wales, so the page is a view of published baby-name registrations rather than a forecast or a live count of people using the name today.
The latest count is about 75% of the recorded peak, which gives a quick read on how the name has moved since its high point.
We estimate that about 14 living people in the UK are called Wiley. This uses published birth registrations from England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, then applies ONS national life tables to estimate how many are likely still alive. It does not forecast extra births for 2021 or 2026.
Key insights
- • Wiley ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales in 2020, with 3 registrations.
- • The name peaked in 2015, when 4 boys were registered as Wiley.
- • About 14 living people in the UK are estimated to have Wiley as a first name, after adjusting past birth registrations with ONS life tables.
Latest rank (E&W)
#4608
2020
Births in 2020
3
Latest year
Peak year
2015
4 births
Estimated living
14
2026
Meaning
What does Wiley mean?
The name Wiley originated from the Old English word "wil," which means "wilful" or "cunning." It first emerged during the Anglo-Saxon period in Britain, around the 5th to 11th centuries AD. The name was commonly used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a clever or cunning personality.
One of the earliest recorded individuals with the name Wiley was an Anglo-Saxon monk named Wiley of Malmesbury, who lived in the 11th century. He was known for his scholarly works and translations of Latin texts.
In the 13th century, a prominent English knight named Sir Wiley de Charnwood fought in the Barons' War against King John. He was renowned for his strategic military tactics and cunning on the battlefield.
During the Renaissance period, Wiley Tanner was an English playwright and poet who lived from 1550 to 1620. He is best known for his satirical works that often poked fun at the aristocracy and social norms of the time.
In the 18th century, Wiley Jones was an American Revolutionary War soldier who fought alongside George Washington. He was captured by British forces but later escaped and continued his service in the Continental Army.
One of the most famous individuals with the name Wiley is Wiley Post, an American aviator and explorer who lived from 1898 to 1935. He was the first pilot to fly solo around the world, accomplishing the feat in 1933. Post also held several aviation records and worked closely with the famous aviator Amelia Earhart.
Throughout history, the name Wiley has been associated with individuals who possessed intelligence, cunning, and a strategic mindset. While its usage has evolved over time, the name continues to carry a sense of cleverness and wit.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
Popularity
Wiley over time
The chart below shows babies named Wiley registered in England and Wales in the years where the name appears in the published records, from 2015 to 2020. Empty years are left out so rare names are not stretched across long periods where the published files do not show any registrations.
For Wiley, the clearest high point is 2015. The latest England and Wales figure is 3 births in 2020, compared with 4 at the peak.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wiley by decade
Decade totals smooth out the yearly jumps and make it easier to see whether Wiley was a short-lived spike or a name that stayed in regular use. Average rank is calculated only from years where a published rank exists.
| Decade | Average rank | Total births | Years covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020s | #4608 | 3 | 1 |
| 2010s | #4190 | 11 | 3 |
Related
Names similar to Wiley
- William 117,982
- Wilfred 5,302
- Will 3,185
- Warren 2,787
- Wyatt 2,604
- Wesley 2,513
- Woody 1,951
- Walter 1,918
- Wiktor 1,354
- Wayne 979
- Wilbur 975
- Wade 902
FAQ
Wiley: questions and answers
How popular is the name Wiley in the UK right now?
In 2020, Wiley was ranked #4608 for boys in England and Wales, with 3 births registered.
When was Wiley most popular?
The peak year on record was 2015, with 4 babies registered as Wiley in England and Wales.
What is the meaning and origin of Wiley?
A diminutive form of the name William, meaning "resolute protector".
How many people are called Wiley in the UK?
A total of 14 babies have been registered as Wiley across the 4 years of ONS England & Wales records shown here.
Which records is this page based on?
The England and Wales timeline uses ONS baby-name records. Scotland figures come from NRS and Northern Ireland figures come from NISRA. Counts are registrations in published baby-name files. The living estimate uses those birth registrations with ONS national life tables.