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The short answer
Waverly is a feminine name used in English. Behind the Name describes it this way: "The surname was borne by the title character in the novel Waverley (1814) by Walter Scott. Streets in New York and San Francisco have been named Waverly after the novel, and a female character in Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) is named after the San Francisco street." It ranked #1028 for girls in the United States in 2025.
Meaning and etymology
According to Behind the Name, the surname was borne by the title character in the novel Waverley (1814) by Walter Scott. Streets in New York and San Francisco have been named Waverly after the novel, and a female character in Amy Tan's novel The Joy Luck Club (1989) is named after the San Francisco street. The entry lists its usage as English.
Editorial confidence: likely
Popularity
Waverly ranked #1028 for girls 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 | #1028 | ssa-2025 |
If you like this name
Names that Behind the Name files under the same origin (English) and that sit near Waverly in the 2025 American rankings.
Similar by origin
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Waverly mean?
Behind the Name does not give Waverly a one-word meaning. It describes the name as follows: the surname was borne by the title character in the novel Waverley.
Is Waverly a popular name?
Waverly ranked #1028 for girls in the United States in 2025. (Social Security Administration data).
Is Waverly a boy's or a girl's name?
In the 2025 SSA data Waverly appears in the girls' list; Behind the Name labels it feminine & masculine.
Sources
- Behind the Name: Meaning, origin and history of the name Waverly — supports meaning, usage, pronunciation, variants.
- U.S. Social Security Administration: Popular Baby Names — national data, year of birth 2025 — supports popularity.
