Fun Facts About the Name Wei
- 369 babies named Wei: U.S. records list 369 babies given the name Wei from 1880 through 2025. Even 79 girls received the name Wei - about 1 girl for every 4 boys.
What Does the Name Wei Mean?
Wei is a romanization of several Mandarin Chinese syllables, so it has no single meaning in English. The spelling can represent different Chinese characters and tones, and the meaning is determined by the character chosen for the name. Examples include 伟 (wěi), "great" or "mighty"; 维 (wéi), "to maintain" or "to bind"; 威 (wēi), "awe" or "power"; 微 (wēi), "tiny" or "subtle"; and 薇 (wēi), a plant name used in personal names. Because tone marks are usually dropped in English, the single spelling Wei covers all of these.
Wei Name History & Origins
Wei is not a single inherited given name with one line of development. In Chinese naming practice, a given name is normally chosen for each person from characters that the family selects, so the history of a particular Wei belongs to the character used. The character 维 appears in the given name of the Tang dynasty poet Wang Wei (王维, 699 - 759), whose name is well known in Chinese literature. Other characters, such as 伟, are chosen for the same sound in modern given names. In English, the spelling Wei has been used for Chinese names through older romanization systems such as Wade-Giles, and since 1958 Hanyu Pinyin has been the standard romanization in the People's Republic of China. Because several characters and tones share the spelling Wei, the English form alone does not show which Chinese name is intended.
How Popular is the Name Wei?
Wei 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 1998. Its best rank was #3,913 in 1984.
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 | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | #20,422 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2001 | #17,875 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #14,353 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1995 | #13,342 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1994 | #15,689 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1993 | #15,725 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1992 | #13,287 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #15,402 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #7,979 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 1986 | #12,787 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1985 | #8,299 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1984 | #8,137 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1983 | #10,252 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,614 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2017 | #9,637 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #12,290 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2004 | #5,794 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2003 | #5,542 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 2002 | #7,613 | 9 | 0.0005% |
| 2001 | #5,134 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2000 | #6,813 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1999 | #5,640 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #4,010 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 1997 | #4,052 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1996 | #4,866 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1995 | #5,489 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #5,099 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1993 | #5,756 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1991 | #5,496 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1990 | #9,446 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 1989 | #4,014 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1988 | #7,240 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1987 | #6,070 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1986 | #4,445 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1985 | #7,552 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1984 | #3,913 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1981 | #4,947 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1980 | #5,508 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1978 | #5,041 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1976 | #4,921 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1974 | #5,986 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1973 | #5,078 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 1970 | #4,711 | 6 | 0.0003% |
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 Wei 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 have an eventful, exciting life. You are versatile and have the ability to learn easily.
You are always looking for a chance to do your own thing, to be your own person, and to have things done your own way.
✦ Wei's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Wei's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.