Woods

♂ Boy

Pronounced WOODS /ˈwuds/Low

Meaning: Dweller by the wood(s)Low

In 30 seconds: Woods is an English name meaning 'dweller by the wood(s)', marking someone who lived beside the trees. It is a nature-rooted surname now used as a first name.

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Origin LowEnglish

MeaningDweller by the wood(s)

U.S. rank (2025)#1476 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births121 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year2025

Total births (all-time)≈ 688

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

The name began as a plain description of where a person lived, right at the edge of the woodland. Such location names became surnames in England, passed down through generations long after the original family left their patch of forest. Used now as a given name, Woods has a sturdy, outdoorsy ring.

Its final 's' gives it a surname feel that fits the trend of using last names up front. It conjures green, open landscapes without any extra explanation.

Did you know? The meaning attached to Woods is 'dweller by the wood(s)', from Old English wudu 'wood', and that core idea is what gives the name most of its long-term appeal.

Overall data confidence 55%

Behind the Name - Woods — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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If you like Woods…

Forrest— another English nature name tied to the woodland, like Woods

Brooks— shares Woods's nature-based surname-as-first-name style

Wren— lands in the same popularity range

Will— shares Woods's English roots

West— shares Woods's English roots

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Woods mean?

Woods is a topographical surname meaning 'dweller by the wood(s)', from Old English wudu 'wood', and is most often linked with English and Scottish tradition.

How do you pronounce Woods?

It's commonly said WOODS /ˈwuds/.

Is Woods a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Woods is used as a boy name.

How popular is Woods?

In 2024, Woods ranked #1759 in the U.S. for boys, with 94 births recorded.