Wesley is a name with an Anglo-Norman etymology. 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.[1] Thus, the name's origin refers to a "western lea," or a field to the west.[2]
The name was predominantly used as a surname until John Wesley, founder of the Methodist church, inspired some parents to name their sons after him.
Surname
- The Wesley family, founders of Methodism and noted musicians, including:
- Samuel Wesley (poet) (1662–1735), minister and Stuart poet
- John Wesley (1703–1791), son of the above, the principal founder of the Methodist denomination of Protestant Christianity
- Charles Wesley (1707–1788), younger brother of the above, Methodist leader and prolific hymn writer
- Charles Wesley junior (1757–1834), son of the above, organist, composer
- Samuel Wesley (1766–1837), younger brother of the above, organist, composer
- Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876), son of the above, organist, composer
- Susanna Wesley (1669–1742), wife of Samuel Wesley (poet)
- Antoine Wesley (born 1997), American football player
- Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1769–1852), a British soldier and statesman best known for defeating Napoleon, was born as Arthur Wesley
- August Wesley (1887–1942), Finnish journalist, trade unionist and revolutionary
- Blake Wesley (b. 1959), former Canadian professional ice hockey player
- Charles Wesley (1896–1944), Negro league baseball player
- Dante Wesley (b. 1979), American football player
- David Wesley (b. 1970), retired American basketball player
- Fred Wesley (b. 1943), American jazz trombonist
- Glen Wesley (b. 1968), former Canadian National Hockey League player
- John Wesley (guitarist) (b. 1962), American musician
- Mary Wesley (1912–2002), British author
- Paul Wesley (b. 1982), American actor
- Richard Wesley (b. 1945), African American playwright
- Rutina Wesley, American actress
- Megahertz (record producer) (Dorsey Wesley), Record Producer
- Walt Wesley (b. 1945), former American basketball player
- William Wesley (b. 1964), American basketball player and agent
Given name
- Wesley Addy, American actor
- Wesley Anderson, American film director
- Wesley Barbosa De Morais, Brazilian football player
- Wesley Brown (disambiguation), several people
- Wesley G. Bush, American business executive
- Wesley Chesbro, California Assemblyman and Senator
- Wesley Chu (b. 1976), American science fiction writer
- Wesley Clark, American military general, and politician
- Wesley Correira, American mixed martial artist
- Wesley Cox, American basketball player
- Wesley Craven, American filmmaker
- Wesley David de Oliveira Andrade, Brazilian football player
- Wesley Fofana, French rugby union player
- Wesley Klein, winner of the second series of Popstars (Netherlands)
- Wesley Korir (b. 1982), Kenyan athlete and politician
- Wesley Lopes Beltrame, Brazilian football player
- Wesley Lopes da Silva, Brazilian football player
- Wesley Matthews, American basketball player
- Wesley Moraes, Brazilian football player
- Wesley Morgan, Canadian actor and model
- Wesley "Wes" Nelson (b. 1998), English television personality and singer
- Wesley Pruden, American journalist
- Wesley Scantlin, Guitarist and singer for Puddle Of Mudd
- Wesley Sneijder, Dutch football player
- Wesley Snipes, American actor
- Wesley So, Filipino chess player
- Wesley Somerville, Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary
- Wesley Stromberg, American musician, member of band Emblem3
- Wesley Willis, schizophrenic 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
- Wesley Crusher, from Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Wesley T. Owens, a character from Mr. Belvedere
- Wesley Pegden, from Last of the Summer Wine
- Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, from the television series Angel, originally introduced in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Other
- Wesley (film), a 2009 biopic about John Wesley and Charles Wesley
See also
References
- ^ "Names First: Wesley". Retrieved 14 February 2018.
- ^ "Lee records". homepage.eircom.net. Retrieved 14 February 2018.