Boy name · Old English
Wilfred
Name meaning, origin and popularity
: desiring peaceWilfred is a boy's name that comes from Old English and means "desiring peace". It is used in English.
- Meaning
- Desiring peace
- Origin
- Old English
- Gender
- Boy
- US rank
- #3844 in 2025
Meaning and origin of Wilfred
As a boy's name, Wilfred comes from Old English and means "desiring peace". It is used in English.
Meanings come from published name dictionaries, led by Behind the Name. How we research names
Wilfred on Nomezo lists
What our editors wrote about Wilfred on 3 lists.
“Old English for will and peace; gentle and kind”
From Boy cat names, old-fashioned boy cat names
“Desiring peace; Old English. Wilf or Fred for short”
From Old man names, old boy names from the 1900s to 1920s
“Desiring peace; Old English, borne by a seventh-century bishop”
From Unique boy names, rare Old English boy names
How popular is Wilfred?
- US rank in 2025
- #3,844
- 29 babies, 17 per million boys
- Best rank
- #164 in 1917
- Most babies: 802 in 1920
- Babies since 1880
- At least 29,417
- Years with under 5 are not listed
| 1880s | 281 per million |
|---|---|
| 1890s | 447 per million |
| 1900s | 565 per million |
| 1910s | 745 per million |
| 1920s | 647 per million |
| 1930s | 425 per million |
| 1940s | 219 per million |
| 1950s | 140 per million |
| 1960s | 101 per million |
| 1970s | 64 per million |
| 1980s | 44 per million |
| 1990s | 28 per million |
| 2000s | 17 per million |
| 2010s | 14 per million |
| 2020s | 16 per million |
| Year | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,438 | #4,459 | #3,883 | #4,222 | #3,914 | #3,118 | #4,434 | #3,873 | #4,877 | #3,844 |
Source: US Social Security Administration baby-name data, 1880 to 2025, as published in 2026. Each spelling is counted separately, a name given to fewer than 5 babies of one sex in a year is left out, and few people born before 1937 have records, which is why the chart shows babies per million rather than raw counts.
Other forms of Wilfred
The same name in other languages and spellings, with the same meaning and origin.
- WilfredoDesiring peace (Old English, boy)
Names spelled like Wilfred
One or two letters apart, but from a different root: they look alike without sharing a meaning.
- WinfriedFriend and peace (Germanic, boy)
Names with a similar meaning
- IrenePeace, tranquility (Greek, girl)
- AxelMy father is peace (Hebrew, boy)
- FridaPeace; in Old Norse, beloved (Germanic and Old Norse, girl)
- MiraPeace, from Slavic Mir- names; in Sanskrit, sea (Slavic, girl)
- CasimirDestroyer of peace (Slavic, boy)
- EirenePeace (Greek, girl)
- OliveTree of peace (Latin, girl)
- SalomePeace (Hebrew, girl)
- SolomonPeace (Hebrew, boy)
- AbdulsalamServant of Peace (Arabic, boy)
Middle names for Wilfred
Picked from our middle-name lists with a different first letter and a shorter length, so the full name flows.
More boy names from Old English
- EdgarWealthy spear (Old English, boy)
- AlfredElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- StormTempest (Old English, unisex)
- AlfredoElf counsel (Old English, boy)
- EduardoRich guardian (Old English, boy)
- GrahamFrom a surname from the place name Grantham, probably gravelly homestead (Old English, boy)
- HarperHarp player (Old English, unisex)
- KnoxRound hill (Old English, boy)
- LindenLime tree (Old English, unisex)
Wilfred: common questions
What does the name Wilfred mean?
Wilfred comes from Old English and means "desiring peace".
Is Wilfred a boy or girl name?
Wilfred is mainly a boy's name.
Where does the name Wilfred come from?
Wilfred comes from Old English and means "desiring peace". Today it is used in English.
How popular is the name Wilfred?
Wilfred ranked #3,844 in the US in 2025, with 29 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
What are other forms of Wilfred?
Forms of Wilfred with the same meaning and origin include Wilfredo (Spanish).
What middle names go with Wilfred?
Middle names that flow well with Wilfred include Ansel, Chase, Drake, Isaac and James. A different first letter and a contrasting length usually sound best.