Wesley (name)

This article is about the name. For other uses, see Wesley (name) (disambiguation).

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. 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, 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 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)
• 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 T. Bishop, American academic, lawyer, and politician
• 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 video game player, professional violinist and bowler
• 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 Morgan, Canadian actor and model
• 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

• 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 Pegden, from Last of the Summer Wine
• Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, from the television series Angel, originally introduced in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
• Wesley Dodds, The first of many DC Comics superheroes using the name Sandman

Other

• Wesley (film), a 2009 biopic about John Wesley and Charles Wesley

See also

• Wes (given name)