Wilbur
About Wilbur
Clunky yet cuddly, Wilbur is a stylish name in the UK where it currently sits in the Top 600, as cool as Rupert or Wilfred. Its merits are starting to be rediscovered in the US, where it was last truly popular more than a century ago. A recent year saw it given to 42 boys.
Wilbur, the loveable pig who Charlotte of the Web called Some Pig might be considered an inspirational hero and an appealing literary connection, while for others, its left the name far too associated with pigs.
The etymology of the name is somewhat disputed, but one theory is that it derived from the Old English nickname Wildbor (meaning "wild boar"), though other possibilities are that it comes from the Germanic Wilbert ("bright will") or the Old English Wilburg ("wished for fortress").
Notable Wilburs include Wilbur Wright, an early aviationist, musician and YouTuber Wilbur Soot and writer Wilbur Smith.
As of October 2026, Wilbur ranked #4040 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #91 in 1913, Nameberry popularity #11.
Editor's take: The name Wilbur is a boy's name of German, English origin meaning "wild boar".
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank | Births | Per million |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #4,382 | 23 | 12 |
| 2015 | #3,677 | 30 | 15.7 |
| 2016 | #4,192 | 25 | 13.2 |
| 2017 | #3,883 | 28 | 15.1 |
| 2018 | #3,882 | 28 | 15.4 |
| 2019 | #3,191 | 37 | 20.6 |
| 2020 | #4,688 | 21 | 12.2 |
| 2021 | #4,232 | 25 | 14.3 |
| 2022 | #3,767 | 30 | 17.2 |
| 2023 | #3,553 | 33 | 19.3 |
| 2024 | #2,986 | 42 | 24.4 |
| 2025 | #4,040 | 27 | 15.8 |
World rankings
Similar names
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Famous Wilburs
- Wilbur Wright
American aviator; brother of Orville Wright
- Wilbur Daigh Mills
U.S. Congressman from Arkansas
- Wilbur Addison Smith
South African novelist
- (Warren) Wilbur Shaw
American racing driver
- Wilbur Bernard Ware
American jazz double bassist
- Wilbur Forrester Wood
Jr., American baseball pitcher
- (Arley) Wilbur Cooper
American baseball pitcher
- Wilbur Bass aka Blaq Poet
American rapper
- Richard Wilbur
American poet
- Earl Wilbur Sutherland
Jr., winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- Wilbur Silverton Heron
son of Kate Silverton & Mike Heron
- Wilbur Soot
British Youtuber
Wilbur in pop culture
- Dr. Wilbur Larch
character in "The Cider House Rules"
- Wilbur Post
"Mister Ed" horse owner played by Alan Young
- Wilbur the pig
hero of E.B. White's children's classic "Charlotte's Web"
- Wilbur
dodo character in the game Animal Crossing: New Horizons, brother of Orville
- Wilbur
baby from TV series "Nip/Tuck"
- Wilbur Wonka
father of Willy Wonka of "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory"
- Wilbur Robinson
son of Lewis "Cornelius" Robinson of "Meet The Robinsons"
Variations & nicknames
- WilbartGerman