# Wesley (name)

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 movement, inspired some parents to name their sons after him.

## Surname

* The Wesley family, founders of Methodism and noted musicians, including:
** Samuel Wesley (poet, died 1735) (1662–1735), minister and Stuart poet
** Samuel Wesley (poet, died 1739), or Samuel Wesley the Younger, son of Samuel (1662–1735)
** John Wesley (1703–1791), son of Samuel (1662–1735), the principal founder of the Methodist denomination of Protestant Christianity
** Charles Wesley (1707–1788), son of Samuel (1662–1735), Methodist leader and prolific hymn writer
** Charles Wesley junior (1757–1834), son of Charles (1707–1788), organist, composer
** Samuel Wesley (composer, born 1766) (1766–1837), son of Charles (1707–1788), organist, composer
** Samuel Sebastian Wesley (1810–1876), son of the Samuel (1766–1837), organist, composer
** Susanna Wesley (1669–1742), wife of Samuel Wesley (1662–1735)
* 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
* Barry Wesley (born 1999), American football player
* Billy Wesley (born 1971), American politician
* Blake Wesley (ice hockey) (born 1959), former Canadian professional ice hockey player
* Blake Wesley (basketball) (born 2003), American basketball player
* Charles Wesley (1896–1944), Negro league baseball player
* Dante Wesley (born 1979), American football player
* David Wesley (born 1970), retired American basketball player
* Fred Wesley (born 1943), American jazz trombonist
* Glen Wesley (born 1968), former Canadian National Hockey League player
* John Wesley (guitarist) (born 1962), American musician
* Mary Wesley (1912–2002), British author
* Mia Wesley, American actress
* Paul Wesley (born 1982), American actor
* Richard Wesley (born 1945), African American playwright
* Rutina Wesley (born 1979), American actress
* Dorsey Wesley, American record producer known as Megahertz
* Walt Wesley (born 1945), former American basketball player
* William Wesley (born 1964), American basketball player and agent

## Given name

* Wesley (footballer, born 1980) (Wesley Lopes da Silva), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1981) (Wesley Barbosa De Morais), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1987) (Wesley Lopes Beltrame), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1989) (Wesley Karlos Piedade), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1990) (Wesley Pacheco Gomes), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1992) (Wesley dos Santos Rodrigues), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1995) (Wesley Claudio Campos), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born April 1996) (Wesley Pionteck Souza), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born November 1996) (Wesley Moraes), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 1999) (Wesley Ribeiro), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born April 2000) (Wesley Hudson da Silva), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 2002) (Wesley Pombo), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley (footballer, born 2005) (Wesley Gassova), Brazilian footballer
* Wesley Addy (1913–1996), American actor
* Wesley Anderson (born 1969), American film director
* Wesley Augusto Henn Marth (born 2000), Brazilian football player
* Wesley G. Bush (born 1961), American business executive
* Wesley Chesbro (born 1951), California Assemblyman and Senator
* Wesley Chu (born 1976), American science fiction writer
* Wesley Clark (born 1944), American military general, and politician
* Wesley Correira (born 1978), American mixed martial artist
* Wesley Cox (born 1955), American basketball player
* Wesley Craven (1939–2015), American filmmaker
* Wesley Gasolina (Wesley David de Oliveira Andrade, born 2000), Brazilian football player
* Wesley Duncan (born 1980), American politician
* Wesley Eure (born 1951), American actor
* Wesley Fofana (footballer) (born 2000), French footballer
* Wesley Fofana (rugby union) (born 1988), French rugby union player
* Wesley French (born 1996), American football player
* Wesley Henderson (born 1951), American architect, historian, and educator
* Wesley Klein (born 1988), winner of the second series of Popstars (Netherlands)
* Wesley Korir (born 1982), Kenyan athlete and politician
* Wesley Matthews (born 1986), American basketball player
* Wesley Morgan (born 1990), Canadian actor and model
* Wesley Natã (born 1995), Brazilian footballer
* Wes Nelson (born 1998), English television personality and singer
* Wesley Pruden (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, an Indigenous Australian rugby league club
* Wesley Sneijder (born 1984), Dutch footballer
* Wesley Snipes (born 1962), American actor
* Wesley So (born 1993), Filipino chess player
* Wesley Somerville (born 1941), Northern Irish loyalist paramilitary
* Wesley Stromberg (born 1993), American musician, member of band Emblem3
* Wesley Tann (1928–2012), American fashion designer
* Wesley Timoteo (born 2000), Canadian soccer player
* Wesley Willis (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
* Wesley Crusher, in the television series Star Trek: The Next Generation
* Wesley T. Owens, in the television series Mr. Belvedere
* Wesley Pegden, from Last of the Summer Wine
* Wesley Gibson, from the Millarworld series Wanted (and its film adaptation), Nemesis Reloaded, and Big Game
* Wesley Wyndam-Pryce, from the television series Angel, originally introduced in Buffy the Vampire Slayer
* Robert Wesley, in the Star Trek franchise