Baby Names US
boys' name ★ peaked 1924

Willis

Meaning A male given name transferred from the surname Gender Boy · 2% girls Rank 2025 #2,567 Trend → Stable

A male given name transferred from the surname.

Rank 2025
#2,567
among boys · ↑105 vs 2024
Babies in 2025
52
named Willis · +4% vs 2024
How common
1 in 32,848
boys born in 2025
Peak year
1924
1,276 babies
All-time total
53,154
#497 all-time among boys
First recorded
1880
in Social Security records

Willis popularity over time

53,154 babies have been named Willis since 1880, according to official Social Security records. Switch measure to see births per year or the yearly rank.

Measure
Births per 1,000 babies of that sex, comparable across eras
0.511.5218801900192019401960198020002020BoysGirls
BoysGirls

By decade. Change compares yearly averages, so the current partial decade is on equal footing. Best rank is the name's best yearly rank within the decade.

Decade Girls Boys Total Per year Change Best rank
1880s 5 1,388 1,393 139 – #86
1890s 7 1,331 1,338 134 -4% #113
1900s 27 1,468 1,495 150 +12% #134
1910s 156 7,339 7,495 750 +401% #131
1920s 240 11,704 11,944 1,194 +59% #133
1930s 181 8,191 8,372 837 -30% #159
1940s 100 6,161 6,261 626 -25% #201
1950s 75 4,586 4,661 466 -26% #310
1960s 22 3,058 3,080 308 -34% #389
1970s – 2,213 2,213 221 -28% #501
1980s 5 1,923 1,928 193 -13% #571
1990s – 1,232 1,232 123 -36% #808
2000s – 752 752 75 -39% #1,246
2010s – 660 660 66 -12% #1,843
2020s (to 2025) – 330 330 55 -17% #2,234

Where Willis is heading

A five-year projection from the recent trend in births per 1,000 boys (damped so it flattens over time), converted to babies at today's birth totals. The implied rank places that projection in the 2025 field. A projection, not a promise: real trends bend.

Year Projected babies Per 1,000 boys Implied rank
2026 52 0.03 outside top 500
2027 52 0.03 outside top 500
2028 52 0.03 outside top 500
2029 52 0.03 outside top 500
2030 52 0.03 outside top 500

The story of Willis

Willis is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #2,567 in 2025 with 52 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.

Since 1880, 53,154 American babies have been named Willis. Its peak came in 1924, when 1,276 newborns received the name, the signature sound of the 1920s.

The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Willis stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

How old are people named Willis?

The median living Willis is about 63 years old; half are between 43 and 77. An estimated 17 thousand people named Willis are alive in the United States today.

median 63 020406080100

Estimated from births per year and Social Security period life tables; an approximation of the living age distribution, by age in years.

Willis year by year

Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.

Year Girls Girls rank Boys Boys rank
2025 – – 52 #2,567
2024 – – 50 #2,672
2023 – – 60 #2,343
2022 – – 44 #2,918
2021 – – 62 #2,274
2020 – – 62 #2,234
2019 – – 50 #2,623
2018 – – 55 #2,416
2017 – – 51 #2,530
2016 – – 70 #2,046
2015 – – 74 #1,979
2014 – – 81 #1,843
2013 – – 75 #1,900
2012 – – 78 #1,878
2011 – – 74 #1,903
2010 – – 52 #2,427
2009 – – 66 #2,098
2008 – – 59 #2,263
2007 – – 80 #1,828
2006 – – 79 #1,768
2005 – – 66 #1,941
2004 – – 65 #1,909
2003 – – 78 #1,629
2002 – – 70 #1,693
2001 – – 82 #1,501
2000 – – 107 #1,246
1995 – – 115 #1,042
1990 – – 159 #808
1985 – – 186 #643
1980 – – 228 #573
1975 – – 203 #567
1970 – – 260 #501
1965 5 #7,514 300 #449
1960 – – 414 #389
1955 10 #4,064 452 #343
1950 11 #3,418 476 #313
1945 5 #5,225 579 #231
1940 5 #5,011 609 #209
1935 22 #1,662 789 #173
1930 18 #2,019 965 #159
1925 23 #1,845 1,198 #139
1920 19 #2,076 1,197 #133
1915 15 #2,140 950 #137
1910 7 #2,134 216 #149
1905 – – 136 #153
1900 – – 169 #134
1895 – – 135 #125
1890 – – 129 #118
1885 – – 133 #106
1880 – – 166 #86

Famous people named Willis

The most globally famous bearers of the name, ranked by fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).

  1. 1 Willis Reed Willis Reed American basketball player (1942–2023) Contemporary
  2. 2 Willis Carrier Willis Carrier American inventor (1876–1950) 19th century
  3. 3 Willis H. O'Brien Willis H. O'Brien American special effects technician and animator (1886–1962) 19th century
  4. 4 Willis Lamb Willis Lamb American physicist (1913–2008) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

Quick answers about Willis, drawn from the same Social Security data as the charts above.

How old is the average Willis?

The median living Willis is about 63 years old. Half of all living Williss are between 43 and 77 years old.

How many people named Willis are alive today?

An estimated 17 thousand people named Willis are alive in the United States, based on 53,154 recorded births and Social Security life tables.

What does the name Willis mean?

A male given name transferred from the surname.

How popular is the name Willis in 2025?

Willis ranked #2,567 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 52 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.

How many people are named Willis?

53,154 babies have been named Willis in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Willis most popular?

Willis peaked in 1924, when 1,276 newborns received the name.

Is Willis a boy or girl name?

Willis is overwhelmingly a boy's name: 98% of babies with the name.

Is the name Willis rising or falling?

Willis is declining, less popular now than a decade ago.

Will Willis become more popular?

Willis looks stable. If the recent trend holds, we project roughly 52 boys named Willis in 2030, ranking outside the top 500. Forecasts assume the current trend continues and become less certain further out.

Who are famous people named Willis?

Well-known people named Willis include Willis Reed (basketball player), Willis Carrier (inventor), Willis H. O'Brien (politician).

Names like Willis

Names that sound and feel close to Willis: shared sounds, similar era, similar popularity. Each links to its full history.

Compare Willis with similar names → More names starting with W →