Wesley is a name with an Anglo-Norman

etymology Etymology ()The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the Phonological chan ...

. The "wes" portion of the name refers to the Western cardinal direction, while the word "lea" refers to a field, pasture, or other clearing in a forest. Thus, the name's origin refers to a "western lea," or a field to the west. The name was predominantly used as a surname until

John Wesley John Wesley (; 2 March 1791) was an English people, English cleric, Christian theology, theologian, and Evangelism, evangelist who was a leader of a Christian revival, revival movement within the Church of England known as Methodism. The soci ...

, founder of the Methodist church, inspired some parents to name their sons after him.

Surname

*The Wesley family, founders of

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's br ...

and noted musicians, including: **

Samuel Wesley (poet) Samuel Wesley (17 December 1662 – 25 April 1735) was a clergyman of the Church of England, as well as a poet and a writer of controversial prose. He was also the father of John Wesley and Charles Wesley, founders of Methodism. Family and e ...

(1662–1735), minister and Stuart poet **

(1703–1791), son of the above, the principal founder of the Methodist denomination of Protestant Christianity **

Charles Wesley Charles Wesley (18 December 1707 – 29 March 1788) was an English leader of the Methodist movement. Wesley was a prolific hymnwriter who wrote over 6,500 hymns during his lifetime. His works include " And Can It Be", " Christ the Lord Is Risen ...

(1707–1788), younger brother of the above, Methodist leader and prolific hymn writer **

Charles Wesley junior Charles Wesley junior (11 December 1757 in Bristol – 23 May 1834 in London) was an English organist and composer. He was the son of Sarah and Charles Wesley (the great hymn-writer and one of the founders of Methodism), and the brother of Samue ...

(1757–1834), son of the above, organist, composer **

Samuel Wesley Samuel Wesley (24 February 1766 – 11 October 1837) was an English organist and composer in the late Georgian period. Wesley was a contemporary of Mozart (1756–1791) and was called by some "the English Mozart".Kassler, Michael & Olleson, Ph ...

(1766–1837), younger brother of the above, organist, composer **

Samuel Sebastian Wesley Samuel Sebastian Wesley (14 August 1810 – 19 April 1876) was an English organist and composer. Wesley married Mary Anne Merewether and had 6 children. He is often referred to as S.S. Wesley to avoid confusion with his father Samuel Wesley. Bio ...

(1810–1876), son of the above, organist, composer **

Susanna Wesley Susanna Wesley (née Annesley; 20 January 1669 – 23 July 1742) was the daughter of Dr Samuel Annesley and Mary White, and the mother of John Wesley, John and Charles Wesley. “…although she never preached a sermon or published a book o ...

(1669–1742), wife of Samuel Wesley (poet) *

Antoine Wesley Antoine Wesley (born October 22, 1997) is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas Tech. Early years Wesley attended Cibolo Steele in Cibolo, Texas. ...

(born 1997), American football player *

Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, (1 May 1769 – 14 September 1852) was an Anglo-Irish soldier and Tory statesman who was one of the leading military and political figures of 19th-century Britain, serving twice as prime minister o ...

(1769–1852), a British soldier and statesman best known for defeating

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

, was born as Arthur Wesley *

August Wesley August Anselm Wesley ( Wesslin; born 3 August 1887; last rumoured to be alive 1942) was a Finnish journalist, trade unionist, and revolutionary who was the chief of the Red Guards general staff in the 1918 Finnish Civil War. He later served as ...

(1887–1942), Finnish journalist, trade unionist and revolutionary * Billy Wesley (born 1971), American politician * Blake Wesley (born 1959), former Canadian professional ice hockey player * Blake Wesley (basketball) (born 2003), American basketball player *

(1896–1944), Negro league baseball player * Dante Wesley (born 1979), American football player *

David Wesley David Barakau Wesley (born November 14, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is the current television color analyst for the New Orleans Pelicans. He is the cou ...

(born 1970), retired American basketball player *

Fred Wesley Fred Wesley (born July 4, 1943) is an American trombonist who worked with James Brown in the 1960s and 1970s and Parliament-Funkadelic in the second half of the 1970s. Biography Wesley was born the son of a high school teacher and big band lead ...

(born 1943), American jazz trombonist *

Glen Wesley Glen Edwin Wesley (born October 2, 1968) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman. Wesley played 13 seasons for the Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League. He began his career with the Boston Bruins, and briefly playe ...

(born 1968), former Canadian National Hockey League player *

John Wesley (guitarist) John Wesley Dearth III is an American guitarist and singer. Biography His professional career began in the early 1980s in the Tampa Bay area where he founded 1991 Southwestern Music Conference's showcase act Autodrive along with drummer/prod ...

(born 1962), American musician * Mary Wesley (1912–2002), British author *

Paul Wesley Paweł Tomasz Wasilewski (; July 23, 1982), known professionally as Paul Wesley, is an American actor, director and producer. He is known for starring as Stefan Salvatore on the supernatural drama series ''The Vampire Diaries'' (2009–2017) a ...

(born 1982), American actor *

Richard Wesley Richard Wesley (born July 11, 1945) is an American playwright and screenwriter. He is an associate professor at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in the Rita and Burton Goldberg Department of Dramatic Writing. Early life Wesley w ...

(born 1945), African American playwright *

Rutina Wesley Rutina Wesley (born December 21, 1978) is an American actress. She is best known for her roles as Tara Thornton on the HBO television series ''True Blood'', and Nova Bordelon on OWN’s ''Queen Sugar''. Early life and education Wesley was born ...

(born 1979), American actress * Dorsey Wesley, American record producer known as Megahertz *

Walt Wesley Walter Wesley (born January 25, 1945) is an American former professional basketball player. Early life Wesley grew up in Fort Myers, Florida, the son of Leroy and Josie Wesley. He attended Dunbar High School in Fort Myers. College career The to ...

(born 1945), former American basketball player *

William Wesley William Sydney Wesley (born August 14, 1964) is the Executive Vice President – Senior Basketball Advisor for the New York Knicks. He is a former American consultant for Creative Artists Agency. Known as "World Wide Wes" or simply "Wes," Wesley ...

(born 1964), American basketball player and agent

Given name

Wesley Addy Robert Wesley Addy (August 4, 1913 – December 31, 1996)R Wesley Addy in the U.S., Social Security Applications and Claim Index, 1936-2007, retrieved froAncestry.com/ref> was an American actor of stage, television, and film. Early years A ...

(1913–1996), American actor * Wesley Anderson (born 1969), American film director * Wesley Augusto Henn Marth (born 2000), Brazilian football player *

Wesley Barbosa De Morais Wesley Barbosa De Morais (born 10 November 1981, in São Paulo), known simply as Wesley, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Figueirense Figueirense Futebol Clube, commonly referred to as Figueirense, is a Brazilian professional club ...

(born 1981), Brazilian football player * Wesley G. Bush (born 1961), American business executive *

Wesley Chesbro Wesley P. Chesbro (born August 20, 1951) is an American Democratic politician from California. He was an assemblymember for the 2nd district, encompassing the North Coast. Previously, Chesbro served as the Assembly member from California's 1 ...

(born 1951), California Assemblyman and Senator *

Wesley Chu Wesley Chu (朱恆昱) (born September 23, 1976, in Taipei) is a #1 New York Times Bestselling speculative fiction author. He was originally raised by his grandparents in Taiwan while his parents were studying in the United States. In 1982, he ...

(born 1976), American science fiction writer *

Wesley Clark Wesley Kanne Clark (born December 23, 1944) is a retired United States Army officer. He graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1966 at West Point and was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship to the University of Oxford, where he obtained a degree ...

(born 1944), American military general, and politician *

Wesley Correira Wesley John Correira Jr. (born November 11, 1978), nicknamed Cabbage, is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the heavyweight and super heavyweight divisions. An iron chinned brawler, Correira began his career in 2000 and came to p ...

(born 1978), American mixed martial artist * Wesley Cox (born 1955), American basketball player * Wesley Craven (1939–2015), American filmmaker * Wesley David de Oliveira Andrade (born 2000), Brazilian football player *

Wesley Duncan Wesley Karl Duncan (born December 26, 1980) is a Nevada attorney, member of the Air Force reserve, and prosecutor. He served as First Assistant Attorney General of Nevada from 2014 to September 2017 and as a Republican member of the Nevada Ass ...

(born 1980), American politician *

Wesley Eure Wesley Eure (born Wesley Eure Loper; August 17, 1951) is an American actor, singer, author, producer, director and educator. He is best known for appearing as Michael Horton on the American soap opera ''Days of Our Lives'' from 1974 to 1981, dur ...

(born 1951), American actor *

Wesley Fofana (footballer) Wesley Tidjan Fofana (born 17 December 2000) is a French professional footballer who played as a centre-back for Premier League club Chelsea and the France national team. Early and personal life Fofana was born in Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhô ...

(born 2000), French footballer *

Wesley Fofana (rugby union) Wesley Fofana (born 20 January 1988) is a former French rugby union player, of Malian descent, who played his entire 14 year career for ASM Clermont Auvergne in the Top 14 and the France national rugby union team. He played as a wing or centre ...

(born 1988), French rugby union player *

Wesley French Wesley M. French (born November 30, 1996) is an American football center for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He spent seven years playing college football at Western Michigan seeing game action during five of those s ...

(born 1996), American football player *

Wesley Klein Wesley Klein (born 25 March 1988 in Leiderdorp, Netherlands) is a Dutch singer. He was mainly known for his participation in the Dutch version of the talent show ''Popstars'' on SBS 6 in its second series (2009–2010) in June 2009 in which he wo ...

(born 1988), winner of the second series of ''Popstars (Netherlands)'' * Wesley Korir (born 1982), Kenyan athlete and politician *

Wesley Lopes Beltrame Wesley Lopes Beltrame (born 24 June 1987), simply known as Wesley, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for CRB as a central or defensive midfielder. Club career Santos Wesley began his career in 2006 with Santos, and was promote ...

(born 1987), Brazilian footballer * Wesley Lopes da Silva (born 1980), Brazilian footballer *

Wesley Matthews Wesley Joel Matthews Jr. (born October 14, 1986) is an American professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Marquette Golden Eagles. He is the son of ...

(born 1986), American basketball player *

Wesley Moraes Wesley Moraes Ferreira da Silva (born 24 November 1996), known as Wesley or Wesley Moraes, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a centre forward for Segunda División club Levante, on loan from Premier League club Aston Vill ...

(born 1996), Brazilian football player * Wesley Morgan (born 1990), Canadian actor and model *

Wes Nelson Wesley Nelson (born 18 March 1998) is an English singer and television personality. In 2018, he appeared in the fourth series of the ITV2 reality series '' Love Island'', and has since competed on ''Dancing on Ice'', '' The X Factor: Celebrity' ...

(born 1998), English television personality and singer *

Wesley Pruden James Wesley Pruden Jr., known as Wesley Pruden (December 18, 1935 – July 17, 2019) was an American journalist and author. He was the editor-in-chief of ''The Washington Times'' from 1992 until his retirement in 2008. Early life Pruden was b ...

(1935–2019), American journalist * Wesley Ira Purkey (1952–2020), American convicted murderer * Wesley Santos (born 1991), Brazilian footballer * Wesley Scantlin (born 1972), Guitarist and singer for Puddle Of Mudd * Wesley Simms, co-founder of the

Redfern All Blacks The Redfern All Blacks, also known as RABs or Redfern, are an Indigenous Australian semi-professional rugby league club based in Redfern, New South Wales, They are a part of the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League. History Redfe ...

, an Indigenous Australian rugby league club *

Wesley Sneijder Wesley Sneijder (; born 9 June 1984) is a Dutch retired professional footballer. Due to his elite playmaking ability, Sneijder was considered one of the best midfielders in the world during his prime. A product of the Ajax Youth Academy, he st ...

(born 1984), Dutch footballer *

Wesley Snipes Wesley Trent Snipes (born July 31, 1962) is an American actor, film producer, and martial artist. His prominent film roles include '' Major League'' (1989), ''New Jack City'' (1991), '' White Men Can't Jump'' (1992), '' Passenger 57'' (1992), '' ...

(born 1962), American actor *

Wesley So Wesley Barbossa So (born October 9, 1993) is a Filipino and American chess grandmaster and 3-time U.S. Chess Champion (in 2017, 2020, and 2021). He is also a three-time Philippine Chess Champion. On the March 2017 FIDE rating list, he was ran ...

(born 1993), Filipino chess player *

Wesley Somerville William Wesley Somerville ( – 31 July 1975) was an Ulster loyalist militant, who held the rank of lieutenant in the illegal Ulster Volunteer Force's (UVF) Mid-Ulster Brigade during the period of conflict known as "the Troubles". With claims t ...

(born 1941), Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary *

Wesley Stromberg Emblem3 is an American rap rock band from Sequim, Washington, consisting of Wesley Stromberg (born December 6, 1993), Drew Chadwick (born October 1, 1992), and Keaton Stromberg (born July 16, 1996). In 2013, they signed with Simon Cowell's reco ...

(born 1993), American musician, member of band Emblem3 * Wesley Tann (1928–2012), American fashion designer * Wesley Timoteo (born 2000), Canadian soccer player *

Wesley Willis Wesley Lawrence Willis (May 31, 1963 – August 21, 2003) was an American musician and visual artist. Diagnosed with schizophrenia in 1989, Willis began a career as an underground singer-songwriter in the outsider music tradition. Wil ...

(1963–2003), American cult musician and painter

Fictional characters

* Wesley Dodds, the first of many DC Comics superheroes using the name ''Sandman'' *Westley, from ''The Princess Bride'', a 1973 novel and 1987 film *Wesley "Wes" Collins, from ''

Power Rangers Time Force ''Power Rangers Time Force'' is a television series and the ninth season of the ''Power Rangers'' franchise, based on the 24th Super Sentai series ''Mirai Sentai Timeranger'', running for 40 half-hour episodes from February to November 2001. I ...

'' *

Wesley Crusher Wesley Crusher is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' franchise. He appears regularly in the first four seasons of the television series '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' (''TNG''), and sporadically in its next three seasons. He also app ...

, in the television series ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'' *Wesley T. Owens, in the television series ''

Mr. Belvedere ''Mr. Belvedere'' is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from March 15, 1985, to July 8, 1990. The series is based on the Lynn Aloysius Belvedere character created by Gwen Davenport for her 1947 novel ''Belvedere'', which was later ...

'' * Wesley Pegden, from ''Last of the Summer Wine'' *

Wesley Wyndam-Pryce Wesley Wyndam-Pryce (also spelled Wyndam-Price and Wyndham-Price) is a fictional character created by Joss Whedon for the television series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Angel''. Played by Alexis Denisof, Wesley first appeared in the fourteen ...

, from the television series ''Angel'', originally introduced in ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' * Robert Wesley, in the

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

franchise

References

{{given name, type=both English masculine given names

Surname

Given name

Fictional characters

See also

References