Wilder
WEYEL-der
Wilder derives from the English and German surname Wilder, meaning “wild” or “untamed,” from Old English wilde or Middle High German wilder.
As an occupational or descriptive surname, it referred to someone who lived near or in the wild lands or who had a wild temperament.
The name was carried by filmmaker Billy Wilder (1906–2002), whose Some Like It Hot and Sunset Boulevard are film classics. It has been in use as an American given name since the 19th century, particularly in the South and West.
What the name Wilder means
Wilder ranked No. 392 in 2024 with 830 births. It peaked at No. 366 in 2021 with 890 births, part of the broader mid-2010s and early-2020s fashion for adventurous nature-adjacent surname names.
Olivia Wilde (born Olivia Cockburn) used the name as a professional surname. Author Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series gave the surname strong American pioneer associations.
Two syllables — WYL-der — are energetic and evocative. The name captures the spirit of outdoor adventure and independence that many parents find appealing.
Parents who want a name suggesting freedom, nature, and a frontier spirit find Wilder a vivid and distinctive choice. The filmmaker and author associations give it cultural depth.
Related adventure-spirit surname names include Hunter, Ranger, Forrest, Wilder, and Zane. All share the American frontier-name aesthetic.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named Wilder
Wilder - similar names
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