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Home › Baby Names Directory › Wilfrid

Wilfrid

♂ Boy

How to Pronounce Wilfrid

Pronounced WIL-frid /ˈwɪl.frɪd/High

Meaning: Wilfrid is the traditional spelling of an Old English name from wil ('will, desire') and frith ('peace'), so 'one who desires peace'; the -frid form is the historic saint's spelling.High

In 30 seconds: Wilfrid means 'desires peace' — Old English will plus frith (said 'WIL-frid'). The older spelling of Wilfred, worn by a seventh-century saint.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningWilfrid is the traditional spelling of an Old English name from wil ('will, desire') and frith ('peace'), so 'one who desires peace'; the -frid form is the historic saint's spelling.
U.S. rank (2020)#13942 ↘ Falling
2020 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1922
Total births (all-time)≈ 1,419
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Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192218872020

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

Wilfrid joins Old English wil ('will, desire') and frith ('peace'). Borne by Saint Wilfrid, it survived the Norman period and returned to use in the Victorian revival of Anglo-Saxon names.

In the U.S. it saw quiet early-twentieth-century use, cresting around the early nineteen-twenties, and is now rare; the -fred spelling is more familiar to American ears.

Did you know? The name honors Saint Wilfrid, a prominent seventh-century Anglo-Saxon bishop, which kept the older -frid spelling alive in Britain long after Wilfred became the common form.
Overall data confidence 80%
Behind the Name — Wilfred — etymology, Old English wil + frithReferences — Saint Wilfrid — seventh-century bishop, -frid spelling

Variations

WilfredWilford

Nicknames

WillWilfFred

Famous Bearers

  • ★Wilfrid Laurier (1841–1919)
    Canadian statesman who served as Prime Minister of Canada from 1896 to 1911.

If you like Wilfrid…

Wilfred— the modern spelling of the same Old English name
Wilford— a close cousin form with the Wil- root
Alfred— a like Anglo-Saxon name in the -fred family
Godfrey— another Germanic peace-rooted name of the era

Explore names like Wilfrid

By themevintageclassicanglo-saxon

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wilfrid mean?

Wilfrid is Old English for 'one who desires peace', from wil ('will') and frith ('peace').

How do you pronounce Wilfrid?

It's said WIL-frid /ˈwɪl.frɪd/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Wilfrid a boy or girl name?

Wilfrid is used as a boy's name.

How popular is Wilfrid?

Wilfrid is an uncommon, old-fashioned name in the U.S., more familiar in Britain and Canada.

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