Boy Names That Start With W
W is the letter of the American West and the English countryside. It gives us William, one of the most enduring names in the English language, cowboy favorites like Wyatt and Waylon, and a whole row of polished surnames — Whitman, Winslow, Wells — that sound right at home on a little boy.
We’ve collected more than 100 boy names that start with W and grouped them by style, from chart-toppers to vintage revivals and international picks, each with its meaning and origin. Keep browsing with our boy names that start with V and Z, or see girl names that start with W.
Popular boy names that start with W
These W names rank among the most popular boys’ names in the US (SSA data); William has sat in the top ten for decades.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| William | Resolute protector | Germanic |
| Wyatt | Brave in war | English |
| Weston | Western town | English |
| Wesley | Western meadow | English |
| Walker | Cloth fuller | English |
| Waylon | Land by the road | English |
| Warren | Park keeper; game preserve | Norman French |
| Walter | Ruler of the army | Germanic |
| Winston | Joy stone; friend’s town | English |
| Wade | River crossing | English |
| Wilder | Wild, untamed | English |
| Watson | Son of Walter | English |
| Wells | Spring, well | English |
| Wayne | Wagon maker | English |
| Wilson | Son of Will | English |
| Will | Short for William | English |
Vintage W names ready for a comeback
Names that feel like a well-worn wool sweater. More in our classic boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Wallace | Welshman, foreigner | Scottish |
| Wilbur | Wild boar or willful | English |
| Wendell | Wanderer (from the Wends) | Germanic |
| Willard | Resolute and brave | English |
| Wilfred | Desiring peace | Old English |
| Winfield | Friend’s field | English |
| Woodrow | Row of houses by the wood | English |
| Wilbert | Bright will | Germanic |
| Wilmer | Famous will | Germanic |
| Ward | Guardian | English |
| Warner | Army guard | Germanic |
| Willis | Son of William | English |
| Waldo | To rule | Germanic |
| Woody | Short for Woodrow or Elwood | English |
| Wiley | Wily, clever; or willow meadow | English |
Preppy W surname names
Polished English surnames with an Ivy League air. See also our preppy boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Whitman | White man, fair-haired | English |
| Winslow | Friend’s hill | English |
| Whitaker | White field | English |
| Webster | Weaver | English |
| Wakefield | Wake field; open field | English |
| Wainwright | Wagon builder | English |
| Wheeler | Wheel maker | English |
| Whitley | White meadow | English |
| Wharton | Farmstead by the weir | English |
| Waverly | Meadow of quivering aspens | English |
| Wyndham | Wyman’s homestead | English |
| Winthrop | Friend’s village | English |
| Walsh | Welshman, foreigner | Irish |
| Wynford | White stream | Welsh |
Modern and nature-inspired W names
Short, fresh names with an outdoorsy edge. For more, see nature boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| West | The western direction | English |
| Wolf | The wolf | English / Germanic |
| Wynn | Fair, white (Welsh); joy (Old English) | Welsh / English |
| Wren | The small songbird | English |
| Winter | The season | English |
| Wilde | Wild; nod to Oscar Wilde | English |
| Woods | From the woods | English |
| Wyeth | Battle, war | English |
| Whit | Short for Whitman or Whitaker | English |
| Wes | Short for Wesley or Weston | English |
| Wolfe | Wolf | English |
| Westley | Western meadow | English |
International W names
W names from Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, the Arab world, Africa and beyond. Explore our German names for boys and Dutch boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Wolfgang | Wolf path | German |
| Wilhelm | German form of William | German |
| Waldemar | Famous ruler | German / Scandinavian |
| Wilfried | Desiring peace | German |
| Willem | Dutch form of William | Dutch |
| Wim | Dutch short form of Willem | Dutch |
| Wouter | Dutch form of Walter | Dutch |
| Wessel | Dutch form of Werner, “army guard” | Dutch |
| Wojciech | Joy of the army | Polish |
| Władysław | Rules with glory | Polish |
| Wiktor | Polish form of Victor | Polish |
| Waleed | Newborn | Arabic |
| Wael | Seeking refuge | Arabic |
| Wasim | Handsome, graceful | Arabic |
| Wahid | Unique, singular | Arabic |
| Wei | Greatness; power (depends on character) | Chinese |
| Wen | Culture, literature | Chinese |
| Wiremu | Māori form of William | Māori |
| Wekesa | Born at harvest time | Luhya (Kenya) |
| Wafula | Born in the rainy season | Luhya (Kenya) |
| Wmffre | Welsh form of Humphrey | Welsh |
| Werner | Army guard | German |
| Wendelin | Wanderer; a German saint | German |
W names from legend, literature and history
Storied names with a character behind them.
| Name | Who he was | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Woden | Anglo-Saxon form of Odin | Anglo-Saxon myth |
| Wotan | German form of Odin | Germanic myth |
| Wayland | Legendary master smith | Germanic legend |
| Wiglaf | Loyal warrior who helps Beowulf | <em>Beowulf</em> |
| Willoughby | Dashing suitor in <em>Sense and Sensibility</em> | Literature |
| Wolfram | Wolfram von Eschenbach, poet of <em>Parzival</em>; “wolf raven” | Medieval German literature |
| Wenceslas | “Good King Wenceslas,” Duke of Bohemia; “more glory” | Czech history |
| Wulfric | Saxon hermit and saint; “wolf power” | English history |
| Wilberforce | William Wilberforce, leader of the campaign to abolish the slave trade | British history |
Unique boy names that start with W
Rare W names for a boy who’ll be the only one in his class. More in unique boy names.
| Name | Meaning | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Wystan | Battle stone | Old English |
| Wilfer | Desiring peace (variant) | English |
| Wolcott | Cottage in the woods | English |
| Wardell | Watchman’s hill | English |
| Wilkes | Son of Wilkin (little William) | English |
| Wickham | Village with a meadow | English |
| Worth | Enclosure, homestead | English |
| Welles | Spring, well (variant of Wells) | English |
| Wilford | Willow ford | English |
| Winfred | Friend of peace | Old English |
| Warrick | Dwellings by the weir | English |
How to pick a W name for your son
- Decide how formal you want to go. William, Walter and Winston are dignified; Wes, Will and Whit are casual. Many families use both — the full name on paper, the short one at home.
- Balance a surname-style first name. If you love Whitman or Winslow, pair it with a classic middle name so the full name doesn’t read like a law firm.
- Watch the W-W combo. Names like Walker Williams have a nice bounce, but some find them too alliterative.
- Think about the wild side. Wolf, Wilder and West are bold but easygoing — see our cool boy names for similar picks.
- Check the meaning. Wilfred (“desiring peace”) and Wynn (“joy”) make lovely wishes; Wyatt (“brave in war”) is a bolder statement.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most popular boy name that starts with W?
William is by far the most popular W name for boys and has ranked in the US top ten for years (SSA data). Wyatt, Weston, Wesley and Walker follow.
What are cool boy names that start with W?
Wilder, Wolf, West, Waylon, Wells and Wolfgang are cool, modern-feeling W names with plenty of personality.
What are old-fashioned boy names that start with W?
Walter, Wallace, Wilbur, Wendell, Willard, Wilfred, Woodrow and Waldo are vintage W names that are slowly coming back.
What does Wyatt mean?
Wyatt comes from the medieval English name Wyot, from Old English wig (“war”) and heard (“brave, hardy”), so it means “brave in war.”
What is a W name that means wolf?
Wolf, Wolfe and Wolfgang (“wolf path”) all refer to the wolf. See our names that mean wolf for more.