English word name meaning clever or cunning; also a variant of Wiley, from Old English place name meaning willow meadow.
Wily is an English word name meaning clever or cunning, and it also overlaps with Wiley, which comes from an Old English place name meaning willow meadow. That double heritage gives the name a pleasing ambiguity: it can feel like a virtue word, a surname form, or a nature-linked place name all at once.
The result is unexpectedly rich for such a short name. As a first name, Wily feels sharp, playful, and a little mischievous. It has a lightness that comes from its everyday meaning, but it also carries an older English surname atmosphere when linked to Wiley.
That mix can make it seem clever in both senses: witty in sound and layered in origin. Wily is brief, memorable, and slightly offbeat, which gives it a distinctive charm for people drawn to names with personality.