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At a Glance: Name: Wes – Meaning: short form of Wesley ('west meadow') or Weston ('west settlement') – Origin: English (short form of Wesley/Weston) – Gender: Boy – Pronunciation: WEZ
Wes is a short, English name pronounced WEZ, used most often as a nickname for Wesley or Weston. It's sometimes said to mean 'west meadow' through Wesley alone, but that leaves out half the story — Wes is just as much a short form of Weston, meaning 'west settlement.' With both a timeless, classic and clean, modern feel, it holds up fine on its own.
Meaning & Origin of Wes
Meaning: Short form of wesley ('west meadow') or weston ('west settlement').
Origin: English (short form of Wesley/Weston).
A common claim: Said to mean 'west meadow' as a short form of Wesley Actually: Incomplete — Wes is equally a short form of Weston ('west settlement'), not only Wesley.
Source: Wiktionary, Wikipedia.
How to Pronounce Wes
Phonetic: WEZ IPA: /ˈwɛz/
Popularity of Wes
The SSA has tracked Wes since 1880, and it hit its peak popularity at #629 in 1963 with 155 babies given the name. In 2024 it ranked #744 with 345 babies — a lower rank than its 1963 peak, but more than double the number of babies.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Wes Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Wes, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Wes mean?
Short form of wesley (‘west meadow’) or weston (‘west settlement’). (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Wes)
How do you pronounce Wes?
Wes is pronounced WEZ (IPA: /ˈwɛz/).
Is Wes a popular name right now?
Wes peaked at #629 in 1963 and is ranked #744 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Wes? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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