Wayland is an English name with two roots: as a surname it is a place name meaning "land by the road", and in Germanic legend Wayland the Smith is a master craftsman whose name is of uncertain meaning. Country singer Waylon Jennings was born Wayland Arnold Jennings, which links the two spellings. Wayland peaked at number 2242 in 2023 and ranks number 2301 in 2025.