Waylon is a distinctive boys' name in United States, ranking #1155 in 1999 with 114 recorded births. This places Waylon in the top 10% of ranked US boys' names for the year. Its actual usage is classified as Rare. The name reached its all-time peak in 2025 with 5,408 births ranking #56. In 1999, approximately 1 in every 16,843 boys born was named Waylon. RISING Recent data shows the name is currently rising.
Waylon is a variant of Wayland. Through that older Germanic line it is associated with the root wila, often explained in relation to craft or skill.
Behind the Name notes that Waylon Jennings helped popularise this spelling, even though he was born Wayland. That celebrity route explains why the shorter form became established as its own name.