Wilbur
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
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.
Wilbur is also given to girls.
Pronounced WIL-bur.
As of October 2026, Wilbur ranked #4040 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #91 in 1913, Nameberry popularity #20.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #4,382 | 23 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #3,677 | 30 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #4,192 | 25 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #3,883 | 28 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #3,882 | 28 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #3,191 | 37 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #4,688 | 21 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #4,232 | 25 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #3,767 | 30 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #3,553 | 33 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #2,986 | 42 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #4,040 | 27 | — | 0 |
World rankings
Wilbur for boys
Similar names
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Wilbur on lists
Famous Wilburs
- Wilbur WrightBoy
American aviator; brother of Orville Wright
- Wilbur Daigh MillsBoy
U.S. Congressman from Arkansas
- Wilbur Addison SmithBoy
South African novelist
- (Warren) Wilbur ShawBoy
American racing driver
- Wilbur Bernard WareBoy
American jazz double bassist
- Wilbur Forrester WoodBoy
Jr., American baseball pitcher
- (Arley) Wilbur CooperBoy
American baseball pitcher
- Wilbur Bass aka Blaq PoetBoy
American rapper
- Richard WilburBoy
American poet
- Earl Wilbur SutherlandBoy
Jr., winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- Wilbur Silverton HeronBoy
son of Kate Silverton & Mike Heron
- Wilbur SootBoy
British Youtuber
Wilbur in pop culture
- Dr. Wilbur LarchBoy
character in "The Cider House Rules"
- Wilbur PostBoy
"Mister Ed" horse owner played by Alan Young
- Wilbur the pigBoy
hero of E.B. White's children's classic "Charlotte's Web"
- WilburBoy
dodo character in the game Animal Crossing: New Horizons, brother of Orville
- WilburBoy
baby from TV series "Nip/Tuck"
- Wilbur WonkaBoy
father of Willy Wonka of "Charlie & the Chocolate Factory"
- Wilbur RobinsonBoy
son of Lewis "Cornelius" Robinson of "Meet The Robinsons"