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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Waylon — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
Waylin|Waylonn
English◈ Unisex · 65% boy · 35% girl→ Stable

◈= unisex (gender-neutral)

Waylon

◈

WAY-lun · 2 syllables

Share Waylon:
Compare with another name
Boy
#65
→ Stable
Boy
#65
Popularity score: 58
→ Stable
Peak
#62 in 2023
5yr
-3 ranks
Velocity
-3
Birth frequency
13.6 per 10,000 births
Girl
#5000
Popularity score: 14
↓ Fading
Peak
#4105 in 2023
5yr
-895 ranks
Velocity
-895
Birth frequency
7.5 per 1,000,000 births

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

BOY
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #65 · Rising since 2020

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
English boy names
Waylon

Popularity score: 58  ·  SSA Rank: #65

GIRL
Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #5000 · Falling since 2020

All US girl names
Top 200 girl names
English girl names
Waylon

Popularity score: 14  ·  SSA Rank: #5000

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
60
Classic name. Score reflects popularity — see Popularity tab for full context.
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
→ Stable
-3 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Unknown
— · — · —
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
40
0 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Waylon scores well on meaning depth but there are tradeoffs — it's a well-known name in this region.

Meaning Depth37% of score
87
Name Trend28% of score
44
Uniqueness20% of score
40
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
EnglishOld EnglishGermanicNatureVintageUnisex2-syllablePatronymicRoad/Way-related
Character
wanderer spiritindependent streak
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Waylons

rebelliousauthenticindependenttalentedcreative
STRONG
High confidence

Waylon is an English unisex name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #65 in the US in 2024.

Trend:→ Stable · -3 ranks
Feasibility:— · — · —
Popularity:#65 · common
Waylon at a Glance
Meaning:Son of the highway; from a settlement by a road or path. Derived from Old English 'weg' (way/road) and the patronymic suffix '-ling'.
Language root:Old English · Germanic
Peak rank:#62 in 2023
5yr change:-3 ranks
Sex usage:Boy #65 · Girl #5000
Notable bearers
Waylon Jennings
Country music singer-songwriter
Waylon Arnold Smithers Jr.
Character (excluded - fictional)
Similar Sound
Waylen◈Weston◈Grayson◈Landon◈Jaylen◈Ryland◈
Similar Style
Rowan◈Caspian◈Soren◈Stellan◈Beckett◈Finn◈
Works well with
Rowan◈HazelIvyWren◈Stellan◈Beckett◈LeviPhoebe
You Might Also Like
Rowan◈
Celtic · #71
→ Stable
Caspian◈
Persian · #578
↑ Rising
Soren◈
Scandinavian · #571
→ Stable
Stellan◈
Scandinavian · #1441
↑ Rising
Beckett◈
English · #166
→ Stable
Finn◈
Irish · #198
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Waylon illustration
Name Intelligence
Waylon · Overview
Summary

Waylon is an English unisex name with steady SSA rankings. It ranked #65 in the US in 2024.

Strengths
Strong fundamentals
Waylon scores 60/100 on the Namesake scale — meaning, origin, and trend all contribute positively.
Works for any sex
65% boy · 35% girl. A genuinely unisex name is rare at this level of distinctiveness.
Nature · Vintage character
Waylon carries a cool, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Already in the top 100
At rank #65, you will likely encounter other Waylons. Consider whether that matters to you.
Explore

Add to watchlists or your list with + Save next to the name above.

Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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