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The short answer
Wells is a masculine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille." It ranked #347 for boys in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, from an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Wells ranked #347 for boys in the United States in 2025. The figure comes from the Social Security Administration's national file for that year.
| Region | Year | Rank | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2025 | #347 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Wells in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wells mean?
Behind the Name does not give Wells a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: from an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille.
Is Wells a popular name?
Wells ranked #347 for boys in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Wells a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Wells appears in the boys' list; Behind the Name labels it masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Wells — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
