Willis
A male given name transferred from the surname.
Every Willis since 1880 — 53,154 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
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.
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
- Willis Carrier Inventor · 1876–1950
- Willis Lamb Physicist · 1913–2008
- Willis Reed Basketball player · b. 1942
- Willis H. O'Brien Politician · 1886–1962
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
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.
Who are famous people named Willis?
Well-known people named Willis include Willis Carrier (inventor), Willis Lamb (physicist), Willis Reed (basketball player).