Wayne
An occupational surname for a wagon maker or driver; John Wayne turned it into a given name.
Popularity, 1880–2025
Wayne appears in the national records from the very first year, 1880. It has ranked among the top 100 names for American boys in every year from 1915 to 1971. Its biggest year was 1947, when 10,169 newborn boys received the name, ranking it No. 30 nationally. Its best ranking came in 1946, at No. 29. In 2025 it ranked No. 652 for boys. All told, 356,422 Americans have been given the name since 1880.
Explore Wayne interactively →By the decade
| Decade | Births | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 283 | No. 280 |
| 1890s | 509 | No. 211 |
| 1900s | 1,158 | No. 137 |
| 1910s | 11,572 | No. 90 |
| 1920s | 26,402 | No. 67 |
| 1930s | 41,141 | No. 39 |
| 1940s | 75,131 | No. 29 |
| 1950s | 88,092 | No. 35 |
| 1960s | 54,762 | No. 58 |
| 1970s | 24,616 | No. 80 |
| 1980s | 14,750 | No. 146 |
| 1990s | 7,502 | No. 242 |
| 2000s | 3,719 | No. 505 |
| 2010s | 3,052 | No. 702 |
| 2020s | 2,129 | No. 652 |
Births and rank shown for boys, the sex more often given the name. The Social Security Administration omits name–year combinations with fewer than five births.
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Data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby-name file, 1880–2025.