Wesley

Commonly associated with a place-name sense like “western clearing/meadow.”

Wesley is a masculine given name that’s long established in English-language usage, with a history as both a surname and a first name. It tends to read as straightforward and familiar, and it’s widely recognized across many English-speaking communities. From an etymology standpoint, Wesley is commonly linked to English place-name formation. It’s often explained using Old English elements for “west” plus a term for a woodland clearing or meadow (frequently seen in modern spellings like -ley or -lea). Pronunciation in English is typically WESS-lee, with two clear syllables. A practical tip is that “Wes” is a very common everyday shortening, so if you like a name that naturally supports a nickname, Wesley usually fits that pattern well.

Etymology: From an English surname and place-name; often explained via Old English elements meaning “west” and a type of woodland clearing (often glossed as “lea/ley”).