Wess

♂ Boy

Pronounced WESS /ˈwɛs/High

Meaning: A spelling of Wes, a short form of Wesley — from the Old English west, 'west', + leah, 'a meadow/clearing', hence 'the western meadow'Low

In 30 seconds: The western meadow: Wess is a short form of Wesley. Crisp, modern, and warm.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningA spelling of Wes, a short form of Wesley — from the Old English west, 'west', + leah, 'a meadow/clearing', hence 'the western meadow'

U.S. rank (2024)#8909 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births9 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1965

Total births (all-time)≈ 505

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Wess is a spelling of Wes, a short form of Wesley — from the Old English west, 'west', + leah, 'a meadow/clearing', hence 'the western meadow'. A crisp, modern name (said 'WESS').

In the U.S. it appears as a short form of Wesley. Rare in this form, the-western-meadow at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Wesley joins the Old English west, 'west', and leah, 'a meadow', hence 'the western meadow' — Wess is the crisp short form (said 'WESS').

Overall data confidence 40%

References — Wesley — short form

Variations

WesWesleyWess

Nicknames

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If you like Wess…

Wes— the standard spelling

Wesley— the source name

Tess— a sound-neighbor -ess short name

Kross— lands in the same popularity range

Cross— echoes that soft -ss sound

Explore names like Wess

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wess mean?

Wess is a short form of Wesley — English 'the western meadow' (west + leah).

How do you pronounce Wess?

It's said WESS /ˈwɛs/ — one syllable.

Is Wess a boy or girl name?

Wess is a boy's name.

How popular is Wess?

Wess is a very rare name in the U.S.