Wavorly formed in 2001 under the name Freshmen 15, and independently released two albums under this name. The group changed its name after signing to Flicker Records because they "didn't want to be thirty years old and be like, 'I'm in "Freshmen 15". I have three kids.'" The name Wavorly comes from a haunted mansion in West Point, Mississippi. Their major label debut, Conquering the Fear of Flight, was released on Flicker on June 12, 2007, and has lyrics significantly influenced by the writings of C. S. Lewis.