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Home › Baby Names Directory › Wilder

Wilder

♀ Girl

Pronounced WYL-dər /ˈwaɪl.dər/High

Meaning: Wild one, untamed; from an English and German surname for a wild or unruly personHigh

In 30 seconds: A surname that says exactly what it means: wild. Long a boys' adventure pick, Wilder is now saddling up for girls too, with windswept, prairie-romantic energy.
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Origin HighEnglish, German
MeaningWild one, untamed; from an English and German surname for a wild or unruly person
U.S. rank (2025)#3572 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births43 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2022
Total births (all-time)≈ 638

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202219182025

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

Wilder is an English and German surname that began as a nickname for an untamed, unruly soul — Middle English wilde, 'wild', plus the comparative ending. Famous surname-bearers run from Oscar-winning director Billy Wilder to playwright Thornton Wilder and the beloved Laura Ingalls Wilder.

As a first name Wilder caught fire for boys in the 2010s amid the vogue for rugged word names, and adventurous parents soon extended it to daughters — the comparative -er ending making it read like 'more wild', a promise rather than a label. For girls it remains rare and notably bold.

Did you know? Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books put the surname on millions of childhood bookshelves, giving Wilder a pioneer-girl resonance that suits its modern use for daughters.
Overall data confidence 88%
Dictionary of American Family Names — Wilder — surname origin

Variations

Wylder

Nicknames

WildWills

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Wilder…

Wren— a fellow nature-wild pick for adventurous girls
Sawyer— another rugged surname-name crossing to daughters
Scout— shares the untamed, literary tomboy spirit
Everly— a surname-style girls' name from the same modern wave

Explore names like Wilder

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wilder mean?

Wilder comes from an English and German surname meaning 'wild one' or 'untamed person'.

How do you pronounce Wilder?

It's said WYL-dər /ˈwaɪl.dər/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Wilder a boy or girl name?

Wilder is used mostly for boys but is gaining ground for girls; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Wilder?

Wilder is a rare choice for girls in the U.S., a frontier-flavored word name on the rise.

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