Will my child share the name Wilson with classmates?

Unlikely. With around 15 UK babies named Wilson per year, your child will almost certainly be the only Wilson in their class, and possibly the only one in the whole school.

Is Wilson becoming more or less popular in the UK?

Wilson is declining: down 761 places since 2020, to #1,705 in 2025. It peaked at #568 in 2017.

Is Wilson popular in the US as well as the UK?

Wilson is more popular in the US (#644) than in the UK (#1595). Names with strong rankings in both countries tend to have broad cross-cultural appeal, working well for international families or those with ties to both nations.

Who are some famous people named Wilson?

Notable people named Wilson include: Kara Wilson and Vivian Wilson.

Is Wilson a popular baby name in the United States?

Wilson ranks #644 in the US top 1,000 (2024). It's recognised in America but considerably more popular in the UK.

👦 Boy's name 💎 Relatively Unique UK #1705

Wilson

🗳️ Add Wilson to a family shortlist

Wilson is a distinctive choice, ranked #1705 in 2025. Your child is likely to be the only Wilson in their class.

💎

UK Rank 2025

#1705

US Rank #673

About the Name Wilson

Wilson has seen a notable decline in recent years, dropping 651 places in five years. It was most popular in 2017 at #568 — parents choosing it today are making a deliberately counter-trend decision. The name has been a consistent presence in UK records since 1996.

Wilson is uncommon in the UK, so your child is very likely to be the only Wilson in their class.

In the US it ranks even higher at #644, where it enjoys a particularly strong following.

⭐ Famous People Named Wilson

Kara Wilson — Kara Wilson is a Scottish actress best known for her roles as Patience Heatherstone in the 1964 adaptation of The Children of the New Forest and as Miss Caroline Gordon in the seventh series of children's soap opera Grange Hill.
Vivian Wilson — Vivian Jenna Wilson is an American social media personality and model.
Woodrow Wilson — Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921.

Biographical summaries are shortened from Wikipedia and are used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence; those summaries remain available under that same licence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about the name Wilson

UK babies named Wilson (2025)

< 1

Expected classmates with this name (class of 28)

~0.0

In a school of 600

↓ 761 places

Rank change (last 5 years)

🏫 Who else is in the room?

In a typical UK class of 28, highlighted children share the name Wilson

Almost certainly the only Wilson in the class

UK Popularity (1996–2025)

Rank and birth count · ONS official data

US Popularity (2020–2025)

Rank · SSA official data

✨ Similar names to Wilson

Names with a similar style — each with their own classroom story

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Famous People Named Wilson

Notable people who share this name, from history to the present day. See full list on Wikipedia

Kara Wilson1944

Kara Wilson is a Scottish actress best known for her roles as Patience Heatherstone in the 1964 adaptation of The Children of the New Forest and as Miss Caroline Gordon in the seventh series of children's soap opera Grange Hill.

Vivian Wilson

Vivian Jenna Wilson is an American social media personality and model.

Woodrow Wilson

Thomas Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921.

Harold Wilson

James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, was a British politician who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, from 1964 to 1970 and from 1974 to 1976.