US Popularity Rank: 9919

Origin: British

Meaning: Man of the watch, watchman

For the bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, there’s Wake—a masculine name with British roots. Originally an occupational surname, Wake means “man of the watch” or “watchman,” well-suited for an observant little tyke who can’t keep their eyes off you. Wake as a noun has several definitions, including to arise from sleep, a vigil, and a word for annual festivals held in parts of northern England. A certain archbishop of Canterbury, William Wake, famously bore this crisp surname—lending an air of nobility and charity to the title.