How Many People Are Named Waverly?
An estimated 5,105 people in the United States have the first name Waverly. It is used for both genders, with 68.5% female. The average bearer is 21 years old, and Waverly peaked in popularity in 2021 with 387 births that year.
Below you will find a full statistical profile of Waverly as a first name in the United States, including gender data, a year-by-year popularity timeline going back to 1880, a decade breakdown, state-by-state birth registrations, and, when available, a 2020 Census snapshot showing who had the name at that point in time. You can also check how many people share the full name Waverly paired with any surname.
Key Insights
- Waverly has undergone a significant gender shift. Originally given predominantly to boys, it is now more commonly a girls' name.
Estimated Living Americans
5,105
About 1 in 67,141 people in the U.S.
Rarity
Rare
Predicted Gender
Female
68.5% confidence
Average Age
21
years old
Peak Year
2021
387 births
Total Registered
6,296
since 1880
Gender Distribution for Waverly
Waverly is a genuinely unisex name, used for both males (31.5%) and females (68.5%). Out of 6,296 total births registered, 1,982 were male and 4,314 were female.
Waverly as a male name
Ranked #14,106 in 2024
5 male births in 2024
Peak: 1951 (46 births)
Waverly as a female name
Ranked #916 in 2024
289 female births in 2024
Peak: 2022 (384 births)
Waverly in the 2020 Census
The 2020 Census recorded 3,306 people with the first name Waverly, which placed it at #5,256 in the published first-name tables. This is a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The estimated living count elsewhere on this page is different: it is a current estimate built from SSA birth records and age-based survival rates, so the two figures are not expected to match exactly.
Read this section as a snapshot of people who already had the name in 2020. The SSA charts elsewhere on this page are still the better way to see how the name rose, fell, or shifted across generations.
Gender in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, Waverly was recorded as predominantly female. Out of 3,306 people with this name in that snapshot, 24.3% were male and 75.7% were female. That is more heavily female than the long-run SSA birth pattern on this page, which sits at 68.5% female.
Census Count
3,306
people with this name
Census Rank
#5,256
among Census first names
Frequency Rate
1.09
per 100,000 people
Recorded Race and Hispanic Origin in the 2020 Census
In the 2020 Census, the first name Waverly was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (62.87%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (20.34%) and Two or More Races (7.55%).
These percentages describe the people who had the first name Waverly in the 2020 Census. They do not tell you the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
2020 Census demographic breakdown
Each row shows a recorded Census category for people with the first name Waverly.
| Group | Share | Count |
|---|---|---|
| White | 62.87% | 2,083 |
| Black | 20.34% | 674 |
| Two or More Races | 7.55% | 250 |
| Hispanic | 4.56% | 151 |
| Asian and Pacific Islander | 3.92% | 130 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.75% | 25 |
The Census published separate sex and race/origin tables for first names, so their total counts can differ slightly for the same name. That is why the race section focuses on the demographic mix rather than repeating a second headline count.
Waverly: Popularity Over Time
SSA records for Waverly span from the 1880s to the 2020s, covering 15 decades of naming data. The most popular decade for this name was the 2020s, when 1,741 babies were registered. Waverly remains highly popular today, with recent registration numbers near its historical peak.
Waverly by Decade
How has Waverly tracked across different eras? The table below groups all SSA birth registrations into 10-year periods, with separate male and female counts. The colored bar shows each decade's share relative to the peak.
Waverly by State
Birth registrations for Waverly span all 38 states and territories in the SSA database. The highest counts are in Virginia, California, North Carolina. The lowest are in South Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho. On average, about 94 Waverlys were registered per state.
Waverly + Last Name Combinations
How many people share a full name with Waverly as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Names Similar to Waverly
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
Waverly: Questions and Answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Waverly?
We estimate approximately 5,105 people named Waverly are alive in the United States today. This is based on SSA birth records from 1880 to 2024, adjusted for mortality using CDC life tables. About 1 in 67,141 Americans share this first name.
Is Waverly a common name?
Waverly is classified as "Rare" and is more popular than 96.6% of all first names in the SSA database. A total of 6,296 births have been registered with this name since 1880.
When was Waverly most popular?
Waverly reached peak popularity in 2021, when 387 babies were given this name. The average age of a living person named Waverly is approximately 21 years old, reflecting when the name was most commonly given.
How common was Waverly in the 2020 Census?
The 2020 Census recorded 3,306 people with the first name Waverly. That placed it at #5,256 in the published Census first-name tables, or 1.09 people per 100,000.
Why is the Census count different from the living estimate?
Because they measure different things. The Census number is a count of people with the name in 2020. The living estimate is a current model based on SSA birth records and survival rates, so it aims to estimate how many people with the name are alive now.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The popularity chart tracks birth registrations, not people currently alive. It shows how often Waverly was given to babies from 1880 through 2024, which is why it is the best tool on the page for seeing long-run naming trends.
What does the Census say about the gender split for Waverly?
In the 2020 Census snapshot, Waverly was recorded as predominantly female. The published split was 24.3% male and 75.7% female.
What does the Census say about the background of people named Waverly?
In the 2020 Census, the first name Waverly was most commonly recorded among people who identified as White (62.87%). The next largest recorded groups were Black (20.34%) and Two or More Races (7.55%). These percentages describe the people who had the name in the 2020 Census, not the deeper meaning or origin of the name itself.
Why can the Census sex total and race total differ slightly?
The Census published separate first-name tables for sex and for race and Hispanic origin. Those totals can differ slightly for the same name, so the page uses them as two related snapshots rather than treating them as perfectly interchangeable counts.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name tables only include names that met the Bureau's publication rules. That means some names on this site will have SSA history but no published Census demographic snapshot.
Is Waverly a female name?
Waverly is predominantly female. 68.5% of people with this name are female. See the gender breakdown above for full details.
Why can Waverly have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because a name can build up a large population over many decades. Waverly peaked in 2021, and the average living bearer is about 21 years old, so a name can still have millions of living bearers even after it stops feeling current for newborns.
How many Waverly Smiths are there?
To find how many people share a specific full name, we combine first name and surname frequencies. Try: Waverly Smith, Waverly Johnson, Waverly Williams. You can also search any combination on our homepage.
Where does this data come from?
Our estimates use Social Security Administration birth records (1880 to 2024), adjusted for survival using CDC 2023 life tables broken down by sex. The U.S. population figure (342,754,338) is from the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimate. Full methodology.
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