Wilbur is an English and German masculine given name of Germanic origin as well as a surname. The etymology of the name is disputed, however the most accepted theory is that it is composed of the Germanic elements wilþī- (Proto-Germanic *wilþijaz-) "wild", and ebur (Proto-Germanic *eburaz) "boar". Another suggestion is that it derives from German willo (Proto-Germanic *wiljô) "will", "wish", "desire", and burg (Proto-Germanic *burgz) "fortress". Notable people with the name include:
Given name Wilbur Cave (fl. 1970s–2000s), American politician from South Carolina Wilbur Clark (1908–1965), American businessman and owner of hotels and casinos Wilbur Cobb (1929–2020), American jazz drummer Wilbur J. Cohen (1913–1987), American social scientist and, as a civil servant, one of the key architects of the welfare state Wilbur Cooper (1892–1973), Major League Baseball pitcher Wilbur Lucius Cross (1862–1948), American educator and Governor of Connecticut Wilbur F. Foster (1841–1900), American politician, lawyer Wilbur Good (1885–1963), Major League Baseball player Wilbur Jackson (born 1951), American collegiate and National Football League running back Wilbur MacDonald (1933–2020), Canadian politician Wilbur Mills (1909–1992), influential member of the United States House of Representatives from Arkansas Wilbur Ross (born 1937), American investor and 39th Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Schramm (1907–1987), American journalist and academic sometimes called the "father of communication studies" Wilbur Shaw (1902–1954), American racing driver Wilbur Smith (1933–2021), South African novelist Wilbur Soot (born 1996), English YouTuber, Twitch streamer, and musician Wilbur Sweatman (1882–1961), African-American ragtime and dixieland jazz composer, bandleader and clarinetist Wilbur J. Thomas (1920–1947), American combat pilot Wilbur Thomas (fl. 1970s), American former basketball player Wilbur Ware (1923–1979), American jazz double-bassist Wilbur Wood (1941–2026), former Major League Baseball pitcher Wilbur Wright (1867–1912), one of the two brothers generally credited with inventing the first successful airplane Wilbur Young (1949–2014), American football player
Surname Cornelia B. Wilbur (1908–1992), American psychiatrist Crane Wilbur (1886–1973), American writer, actor and director of stage, radio and screen Curtis D. Wilbur (1867–1954), US Secretary of the Navy and Chief Justice of California George P. Wilbur (1941–2023), actor and stuntman Jay Wilbur (1898–1970), British bandleader John Wilbur (disambiguation) Ray Lyman Wilbur (1875–1949), American doctor, president of Stanford University and United States Secretary of the Interior Richard Wilbur (1921–2017), United States Poet Laureate and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Richard C. Wilbur (1936–2020), judge of the United States Tax Court Sylvia Wilbur (born 1938), British computer scientist Todd Wilbur, American cookbook author William Wilbur, New York politician William H. Wilbur (1888–1979), US Army brigadier general
See also Wilber (given name) Wilber (surname)
References