How to say it
WELLS
wɛlz
Masculine
Wells
By the springs
What it means
An English surname for someone who lived beside a spring or well, from Old English wella.
Wells is an English locational surname for a person who lived near springs or wells, from Old English wella, and the name of a small cathedral city in Somerset. As a first name it is recent, joining the crisp one-syllable surname set with Brooks and Banks, and it carries a faint literary echo of author H.G. Wells. Clean, modern, and a little understated.
How to spell Wells
The standard spelling is Wells. Common variants include Welles, Wills, but Wells is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #347 in 2025, currently #347 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Spelling
A 'lived by the springs' surname; fits the one-syllable surname-first trend.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- H.G. Wells English author of The Time Machine and The War of the Worlds (as a surname)
Spelling variants
- Welles
- Wills
Names with the same feeling
See Wells from another angle
By style
Common questions
- What does the name Wells mean?
- An English surname for someone who lived beside a spring or well, from Old English wella.
- What does Wells mean in English?
- In English, Wells means "By the springs." Wells is an English locational surname for a person who lived near springs or wells, from Old English wella, and the name of a small cathedral city in Somerset. As a first name it is recent, joining the crisp one-syllable surname set with Brooks and Banks, and it carries a faint literary echo of author H.G. Wells. Clean, modern, and a little understated.
- How do you pronounce Wells?
- Wells is pronounced wɛlz. Say it as WELLS, with the stress on the "wells" syllable.
- How do you spell Wells?
- The standard spelling is Wells. Common spelling variants include Welles, Wills.
- Is Wells a boy or girl name?
- Wells is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name Wells?
- Wells ranked #347 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.