Willye: Name Popularity, History & Rankings (1880

Rank 2025

–

among girls

Babies in 2025

named Willye

How common

–

girls born in 2025

Peak year

1923

15 babies

All-time total

366

#14,258 all-time among girls

First recorded

1901

in Social Security records

Willye popularity over time

366 babies have been named Willye since 1901, 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

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	Per year	Change	Best rank
1880s	–	–	–	–
1890s	–	–	–	–
1900s	20	2	–	#1,463
1910s	81	8	+305%	#2,455
1920s	99	10	+22%	#2,461
1930s	49	5	-51%	#2,924
1940s	86	9	+76%	#2,660
1950s	31	3	-64%	#4,380
1960s	–	–	–	–
1970s	–	–	–	–
1980s	–	–	–	–
1990s	–	–	–	–
2000s	–	–	–	–
2010s	–	–	–	–
2020s (to 2025)	–	–	–	–

The story of Willye

Willye is not currently in use for newborns in the United States: fewer than five babies received the name in 2025. Its story lives in the historical record below.

Since 1901, 366 American babies have been named Willye. Its peak came in 1923, when 15 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 Willye stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.

Willye year by year

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

Year	Girls	Girls rank
2025	–	–
2024	–	–
2023	–	–
2022	–	–
2021	–	–
2020	–	–
2019	–	–
2018	–	–
2017	–	–
2016	–	–
2015	–	–
2014	–	–
2013	–	–
2012	–	–
2011	–	–
2010	–	–
2009	–	–
2008	–	–
2007	–	–
2006	–	–
2005	–	–
2004	–	–
2003	–	–
2002	–	–
2001	–	–
2000	–	–
1995	–	–
1990	–	–
1985	–	–
1980	–	–
1975	–	–
1970	–	–
1965	–	–
1960	–	–
1955	–	–
1950	7	#4,731
1945	11	#2,913
1940	10	#2,959
1935	10	#2,924
1930	9	#3,341
1925	10	#3,358
1920	12	#2,896
1915	10	#2,892
1910	5	#2,780
1905	8	#1,536
1900	–	–
1895	–	–
1890	–	–
1885	–	–
1880	–	–

Famous people named Willye

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

1 Willye White American athlete (1939–2007) Contemporary

Portraits from Wikipedia (Wikimedia Commons).

Frequently asked questions

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

How popular is the name Willye in 2025?

Willye did not appear in the 2025 Social Security data, which means fewer than five babies received the name that year.

How many people are named Willye?

366 babies have been named Willye in the United States since 1901, based on Social Security card applications.

When was the name Willye most popular?

Willye peaked in 1923, when 15 newborns received the name.

Is Willye a boy or girl name?

Willye is overwhelmingly a girl's name: 100% of babies with the name.

Is the name Willye rising or falling?

Willye has been roughly stable over the past decade.

Who are famous people named Willye?

Well-known people named Willye include Willye White (athlete).

Names like Willye

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

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