Fun Facts About the Name Wagner
- 347 babies named Wagner: U.S. records list 347 babies given the name Wagner from 1880 through 2025.
What Does the Name Wagner Mean?
Wagner is a German occupational name meaning "wagon maker" or "wagon driver." It comes from Middle High German wagener, built from wagen ("wagon," from the older Old High German wagan) plus the agent suffix -er, so the literal sense is "one who works with a wagon." A wagener could make, repair, or drive the heavy carts used for hauling goods and farm produce, and the exact trade varied from town to town. The English surname Waggoner rests on the same root in English, but it has its own separate history.
Wagner Name History & Origins
Wagner began as a byname in the German-speaking regions of central Europe in the Middle Ages, when surnames taken from trades became common in towns. A wagener supplied or handled the wagons that were central to transport, farming, and trade, and the word appears in Middle High German records. Because the occupation was widespread and necessary, the surname arose independently in many different localities rather than spreading from one family, which helps explain why it became one of the most common German surnames. Spelling variants in German lands include Wagener, Wegener, and Wagener.
German-speaking emigration carried the name to North America, eastern Europe, and elsewhere, and it was also adopted by German-speaking Jewish families. The best-known bearer of the name is the composer Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883). Wagner remains overwhelmingly a surname; its use as a given name in English-speaking countries is occasional and generally comes from a family surname rather than from the German trade word itself.
How Popular is the Name Wagner?
Wagner has historically been an exceptionally rare given name in the United States, remaining well outside the national mainstream. It saw its highest recorded annual births in 2009. Its best rank was #4,023 in 1964.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #8,212 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #6,782 | 13 | 0.0008% |
| 2023 | #10,740 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #9,769 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 2021 | #13,950 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2020 | #7,006 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2019 | #10,745 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #8,106 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 2016 | #7,567 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 2015 | #8,704 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2013 | #10,667 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2012 | #9,662 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2011 | #8,726 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2010 | #12,135 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #6,072 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #6,740 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 2007 | #10,860 | 7 | 0.0003% |
| 2006 | #13,928 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2005 | #11,403 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #5,792 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #12,680 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2002 | #7,610 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #8,302 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #12,056 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #7,850 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #11,254 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #7,253 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1996 | #8,963 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #5,488 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #5,098 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #8,659 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #6,502 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1989 | #5,591 | 9 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #5,908 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1985 | #5,763 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1984 | #7,305 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1982 | #7,339 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1981 | #7,249 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1980 | #7,262 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,854 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1972 | #5,729 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1970 | #5,414 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1964 | #4,023 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1957 | #4,535 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1915 | #4,370 | 5 | 0.0006% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
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How the Name Wagner Shapes Your Personality and Life?
To express itself, you must follow the divine law of love. You have great persistence and hate to give up. You are a good mixer, charming, magnetic and intuitive. The spirituality is the key to success. You are bold, independent, inquisitive and interested in research. You know what you want and why you want it.
You are seeking freedom, opportunities to enjoy life: to make love, to go places and to do things. You are very adventurous and willing to take risk to achieve your objectives. New ways and new experiences can't satisfy your restless nature. One adventure leads you to another. You are honest and fair, because you know that this is the only way to receive justice and honesty from other people. But your personal growth is vital for you, and it is difficult to be tied down by rules and obligations. Your restless spirit might best controlled by choosing the field of work that meet your demand for action and adventure.
✦ Wagner's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Wagner's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.