NameRealm
West

West: name meaning, origin & popularity

Meaning
“the west, western direction”
Origin
English
Say it
WEST · 1 syllable
Used for
Boys

West began as an English surname for someone living to the west of a settlement. Its use as a first name is modern and surname-based.

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How popular is West?

202445.0 per million US babies
1880192019602000
Drag the line or the slider to read any year. Values are per million US births recorded by Social Security. Records before about 1937 undercount births, so early peaks can look taller than they were.

Babies named West in 2024151

2024 rank#1,335 boys

Peak year1886

Total US babies since 18803,550

West is rising: use over the last five years is 1.8× what it was a decade earlier.

Names like West

Variants, related forms and names with the same roots.

  • JackGod is gracious · English
  • Hudsonson of Hudd · English
  • Jacksonson of Jack · English
  • Cartercart driver · English
  • Wyattbrave in war · English
  • Maverickindependent person · English
  • Masonstoneworker · English
  • Graysonson of the steward · English

West questions

What does the name West mean?

West means "the west, western direction". It comes from English. West began as an English surname for someone living to the west of a settlement. Its use as a first name is modern and surname-based.

Is West a boy or girl name?

West is mainly a boy's name in US records (99% of uses since 1880).

How popular is West?

151 US babies were named West in 2024. Its peak year was 1886.

How do you pronounce West?

West is usually pronounced WEST.

Birth counts: US Social Security Administration national data, 1880–2024 (names given to 5+ babies of a sex in a year). How we write meanings.