Wade
Meaningriver ford · Old English
- US rank
- #344
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #183 in 1966
948 babies were named Wade in the US in 2025. It has dropped 4 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1916–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Wade you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Wade
Wade Williams
American actor
Choose Wade and your child shares a first name with Wade Williams, an American actor. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Wade, like who?” Wade Williams's Wikipedia article is available in 38 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Wade Williams on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: watchwithkristin, CC BY-SA 2.0 (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 1,802 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Wade, 948 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Wade would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryWade has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Wades, and counting.
- Best yearIts best year was 1966, when it reached #183.
- Then vs nowWade is 2.2× more common today than it was in 2000. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 3,960 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 1,802.
- Where it's lovedWade is most popular in Alaska, where it ranks #85, followed by Montana (#96) and Idaho (#113). It makes the top 1,000 in almost every state.
- MeaningIn Old English, Wade means “river ford”.
About the name Wade
Wade is a boy name of English origin meaning “river ford”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with W and ending in “-ade”. US birth records list Wade for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1966, when it ranked #183 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #344, with 948 babies.
Origin:English names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 1.2 | 833,333 girls |
| 1920s | 2.4 | 414,938 girls |
| 1950s | 0.6 | 1,754,386 girls |
| 1960s | 1.7 | 602,410 girls |
| 1970s | 3.7 | 272,480 girls |
| 1980s | 1.4 | 735,294 girls |
| 2000s | 0.4 | 2,631,579 girls |
| 2020s | 1.5 | 666,667 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 478 | 2,093 boys |
| 1890s | 464 | 2,154 boys |
| 1900s | 415 | 2,408 boys |
| 1910s | 357 | 2,803 boys |
| 1920s | 321 | 3,115 boys |
| 1930s | 293 | 3,414 boys |
| 1940s | 291 | 3,432 boys |
| 1950s | 416 | 2,401 boys |
| 1960s | 672 | 1,489 boys |
| 1970s | 631 | 1,584 boys |
| 1980s | 377 | 2,649 boys |
| 1990s | 306 | 3,263 boys |
| 2000s | 225 | 4,441 boys |
| 2010s | 348 | 2,870 boys |
| 2020s | 565 | 1,771 boys |
More English boy names
- Boy name: Oliver · olive tree
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: James · supplanter
- Boy name: William · resolute protector
- Boy name: Benjamin · son of the right hand
- Boy name: Jack · God is gracious
- Unisex name: Hudson · son of Hudde
- Unisex name: Julian · of the Julius family
Questions about the name Wade
What does the name Wade mean?
Wade means “river ford” in Old English.
What is the origin of the name Wade?
Wade has English roots in our records. Other English names include Oliver, Henry, James.
Is Wade a boy or girl name?
Wade is a boy name.
How popular is the name Wade?
Wade ranked #344 for US boys in 2025, given to 948 babies. Its best year was 1966 (#183).