Fun Facts About the Name Willie
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 450,180 boys named Willie from 1880 through 2025.
- Decades of popularity: Willie stayed in the U.S. top 100 for 89 consecutive years, from 1880 through 1968.
- A favorite of earlier generations: Willie appeared in the U.S. top 100 in 2 separate runs, totaling 54 years. Its last run lasted 1 consecutive years, from 1935 through 1935.
- More than 596 thousand babies named Willie: U.S. records list 596,377 babies given the name Willie from 1880 through 2025. Of these, 146,197 girls received the name Willie - about 1 girl for every 3 boys.
What Does the Name Willie Mean?
Willie is an English diminutive of William, and it shares that name's established meaning: "resolute protector." William comes from the Norman French Willaume, which descends from a Germanic compound usually reconstructed as *Willahelm or Proto-Germanic *Wiljahelmaz. The first element is related to will or "desire"; the second is helm, meaning "helmet" or "protection." The literal sense is often given as "will-helmet" or "desire-protection," while the customary English meaning is "resolute protector." When Willie is used as a short form of the feminine Wilhelmina, it has the same Germanic roots. The name's meaning belongs to the parent name; Willie itself is a pet form, not a separate Germanic compound.
Willie Name History & Origins
William was introduced to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066, in forms such as Old Norman French Willaume and Latin Willelmus. It became one of the most common masculine names in England, and its short forms multiplied. The familiar English short form Will was extended with the diminutive suffix -ie, producing Willie. The same pattern yielded Willy; the -ie spelling became especially common in affectionate and informal names.
Willie has been used as an independent given name as well as a nickname. In Scotland the name appears in traditional and literary contexts; the 19th-century nursery rhyme "Wee Willie Winkie" treats Willie as a typical Scottish boy's name. The name also became a feminine given name, usually as a short form of Wilhelmina. Its development is therefore tied to the broader history of William and its pet forms rather than to a separate root.
How Popular is the Name Willie?
Willie remained among the top 100 boy names in the U.S. from 1880 to 1968. Its highest annual birth count was in 1947, and people born that year turn 79 in 2026.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #10,870 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2024 | #15,100 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2023 | #15,065 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #10,342 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 2019 | #17,842 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2018 | #17,988 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2017 | #18,301 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2013 | #19,138 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2009 | #20,067 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 2007 | #17,534 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 2000 | #13,109 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 1998 | #11,106 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1997 | #10,801 | 8 | 0.0005% |
| 1996 | #8,122 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1995 | #8,063 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1994 | #5,707 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1993 | #4,252 | 25 | 0.0014% |
| 1992 | #4,681 | 22 | 0.0012% |
| 1991 | #6,579 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1990 | #5,830 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1989 | #2,929 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1988 | #2,984 | 35 | 0.0020% |
| 1987 | #2,489 | 42 | 0.0024% |
| 1986 | #2,679 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1985 | #2,803 | 34 | 0.0020% |
| 1984 | #1,943 | 54 | 0.0032% |
| 1983 | #2,197 | 45 | 0.0027% |
| 1982 | #1,921 | 56 | 0.0033% |
| 1981 | #1,982 | 54 | 0.0032% |
| 1980 | #1,765 | 63 | 0.0038% |
| 1979 | #1,794 | 61 | 0.0038% |
| 1978 | #1,613 | 67 | 0.0044% |
| 1977 | #1,699 | 62 | 0.0040% |
| 1976 | #1,315 | 83 | 0.0057% |
| 1975 | #1,269 | 89 | 0.0061% |
| 1974 | #1,114 | 105 | 0.0072% |
| 1973 | #1,000 | 119 | 0.0082% |
| 1972 | #943 | 131 | 0.0086% |
| 1971 | #943 | 137 | 0.0082% |
| 1970 | #826 | 167 | 0.0096% |
| 1969 | #721 | 195 | 0.0116% |
| 1968 | #681 | 205 | 0.0125% |
| 1967 | #614 | 241 | 0.0146% |
| 1966 | #570 | 280 | 0.0165% |
| 1965 | #522 | 335 | 0.0190% |
| 1964 | #480 | 405 | 0.0214% |
| 1963 | #479 | 407 | 0.0211% |
| 1962 | #444 | 469 | 0.0238% |
| 1961 | #440 | 504 | 0.0250% |
| 1960 | #391 | 590 | 0.0292% |
| 1959 | #379 | 632 | 0.0312% |
| 1958 | #347 | 698 | 0.0347% |
| 1957 | #326 | 785 | 0.0384% |
| 1956 | #290 | 931 | 0.0464% |
| 1955 | #283 | 933 | 0.0477% |
| 1954 | #243 | 1,111 | 0.0572% |
| 1953 | #237 | 1,156 | 0.0614% |
| 1952 | #228 | 1,200 | 0.0647% |
| 1951 | #215 | 1,275 | 0.0708% |
| 1950 | #201 | 1,338 | 0.0781% |
| 1949 | #179 | 1,532 | 0.0895% |
| 1948 | #168 | 1,667 | 0.0982% |
| 1947 | #173 | 1,683 | 0.0949% |
| 1946 | #159 | 1,687 | 0.1074% |
| 1945 | #137 | 1,777 | 0.1360% |
| 1944 | #138 | 1,894 | 0.1427% |
| 1943 | #139 | 1,994 | 0.1429% |
| 1942 | #133 | 2,067 | 0.1530% |
| 1941 | #136 | 1,860 | 0.1540% |
| 1940 | #128 | 1,937 | 0.1694% |
| 1939 | #126 | 1,952 | 0.1780% |
| 1938 | #121 | 2,019 | 0.1830% |
| 1937 | #114 | 2,194 | 0.2062% |
| 1936 | #108 | 2,224 | 0.2138% |
| 1935 | #99 | 2,370 | 0.2260% |
| 1934 | #102 | 2,388 | 0.2287% |
| 1933 | #93 | 2,449 | 0.2430% |
| 1932 | #91 | 2,662 | 0.2495% |
| 1931 | #93 | 2,597 | 0.2439% |
| 1930 | #87 | 3,018 | 0.2680% |
| 1929 | #76 | 3,319 | 0.2973% |
| 1928 | #74 | 3,443 | 0.2985% |
| 1927 | #71 | 3,884 | 0.3257% |
| 1926 | #73 | 3,817 | 0.3220% |
| 1925 | #68 | 3,947 | 0.3242% |
| 1924 | #68 | 3,992 | 0.3196% |
| 1923 | #67 | 3,963 | 0.3285% |
| 1922 | #70 | 3,885 | 0.3235% |
| 1921 | #74 | 3,748 | 0.3040% |
| 1920 | #74 | 3,816 | 0.3185% |
| 1919 | #61 | 4,051 | 0.3585% |
| 1918 | #70 | 3,867 | 0.3340% |
| 1917 | #72 | 3,381 | 0.3127% |
| 1916 | #73 | 3,116 | 0.2984% |
| 1915 | #72 | 3,041 | 0.3091% |
| 1914 | #66 | 2,759 | 0.3623% |
| 1913 | #65 | 2,264 | 0.3625% |
| 1912 | #61 | 2,267 | 0.4062% |
| 1911 | #61 | 1,637 | 0.3913% |
| 1910 | #56 | 1,796 | 0.4530% |
| 1909 | #54 | 1,549 | 0.4461% |
| 1908 | #59 | 1,371 | 0.4101% |
| 1907 | #56 | 1,394 | 0.4376% |
| 1906 | #59 | 1,233 | 0.4175% |
| 1905 | #59 | 1,285 | 0.4406% |
| 1904 | #61 | 1,188 | 0.4314% |
| 1903 | #67 | 1,014 | 0.3871% |
| 1902 | #64 | 1,071 | 0.4056% |
| 1901 | #68 | 901 | 0.3764% |
| 1900 | #58 | 1,351 | 0.4507% |
| 1899 | #73 | 806 | 0.3459% |
| 1898 | #71 | 878 | 0.3393% |
| 1897 | #70 | 818 | 0.3493% |
| 1896 | #76 | 755 | 0.3173% |
| 1895 | #78 | 724 | 0.3099% |
| 1894 | #75 | 709 | 0.3180% |
| 1893 | #77 | 648 | 0.3044% |
| 1892 | #78 | 631 | 0.2972% |
| 1891 | #78 | 562 | 0.3030% |
| 1890 | #77 | 578 | 0.3036% |
| 1889 | #85 | 488 | 0.2736% |
| 1888 | #79 | 522 | 0.2922% |
| 1887 | #88 | 379 | 0.2596% |
| 1886 | #88 | 388 | 0.2685% |
| 1885 | #95 | 312 | 0.2345% |
| 1884 | #93 | 332 | 0.2573% |
| 1883 | #96 | 264 | 0.2350% |
| 1882 | #89 | 291 | 0.2698% |
| 1881 | #94 | 229 | 0.2490% |
| 1880 | #105 | 192 | 0.2110% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #1,322 | 147 | 0.0086% |
| 2024 | #1,375 | 137 | 0.0080% |
| 2023 | #1,326 | 144 | 0.0084% |
| 2022 | #1,167 | 176 | 0.0101% |
| 2021 | #1,205 | 161 | 0.0092% |
| 2020 | #995 | 215 | 0.0125% |
| 2019 | #1,011 | 207 | 0.0115% |
| 2018 | #932 | 226 | 0.0124% |
| 2017 | #803 | 285 | 0.0154% |
| 2016 | #797 | 294 | 0.0155% |
| 2015 | #774 | 307 | 0.0160% |
| 2014 | #725 | 331 | 0.0172% |
| 2013 | #708 | 332 | 0.0176% |
| 2012 | #647 | 369 | 0.0195% |
| 2011 | #615 | 390 | 0.0205% |
| 2010 | #628 | 388 | 0.0202% |
| 2009 | #625 | 400 | 0.0202% |
| 2008 | #566 | 460 | 0.0225% |
| 2007 | #548 | 470 | 0.0226% |
| 2006 | #511 | 507 | 0.0247% |
| 2005 | #512 | 481 | 0.0241% |
| 2004 | #498 | 492 | 0.0248% |
| 2003 | #453 | 558 | 0.0282% |
| 2002 | #438 | 569 | 0.0293% |
| 2001 | #413 | 608 | 0.0313% |
| 2000 | #407 | 610 | 0.0311% |
| 1999 | #385 | 668 | 0.0348% |
| 1998 | #354 | 739 | 0.0387% |
| 1997 | #335 | 774 | 0.0411% |
| 1996 | #328 | 800 | 0.0422% |
| 1995 | #319 | 824 | 0.0433% |
| 1994 | #292 | 940 | 0.0487% |
| 1993 | #272 | 1,062 | 0.0541% |
| 1992 | #237 | 1,212 | 0.0607% |
| 1991 | #224 | 1,319 | 0.0653% |
| 1990 | #222 | 1,377 | 0.0670% |
| 1989 | #202 | 1,460 | 0.0730% |
| 1988 | #191 | 1,427 | 0.0745% |
| 1987 | #186 | 1,479 | 0.0792% |
| 1986 | #178 | 1,490 | 0.0809% |
| 1985 | #171 | 1,574 | 0.0852% |
| 1984 | #166 | 1,606 | 0.0890% |
| 1983 | #156 | 1,763 | 0.0983% |
| 1982 | #144 | 1,959 | 0.1080% |
| 1981 | #141 | 1,966 | 0.1098% |
| 1980 | #130 | 2,168 | 0.1215% |
| 1979 | #125 | 2,153 | 0.1251% |
| 1978 | #121 | 2,135 | 0.1300% |
| 1977 | #124 | 2,163 | 0.1316% |
| 1976 | #121 | 2,132 | 0.1359% |
| 1975 | #118 | 2,174 | 0.1392% |
| 1974 | #119 | 2,223 | 0.1414% |
| 1973 | #109 | 2,391 | 0.1534% |
| 1972 | #109 | 2,596 | 0.1601% |
| 1971 | #115 | 2,862 | 0.1618% |
| 1970 | #103 | 3,138 | 0.1689% |
| 1969 | #101 | 3,049 | 0.1705% |
| 1968 | #96 | 3,108 | 0.1788% |
| 1967 | #92 | 3,392 | 0.1945% |
| 1966 | #93 | 3,544 | 0.1987% |
| 1965 | #93 | 3,808 | 0.2047% |
| 1964 | #91 | 4,148 | 0.2082% |
| 1963 | #93 | 4,190 | 0.2063% |
| 1962 | #89 | 4,544 | 0.2197% |
| 1961 | #86 | 4,788 | 0.2254% |
| 1960 | #81 | 5,240 | 0.2458% |
| 1959 | #78 | 5,375 | 0.2518% |
| 1958 | #70 | 5,690 | 0.2681% |
| 1957 | #63 | 6,212 | 0.2880% |
| 1956 | #58 | 6,528 | 0.3086% |
| 1955 | #54 | 6,628 | 0.3218% |
| 1954 | #53 | 6,831 | 0.3351% |
| 1953 | #49 | 7,057 | 0.3578% |
| 1952 | #48 | 7,196 | 0.3702% |
| 1951 | #45 | 7,224 | 0.3837% |
| 1950 | #42 | 7,720 | 0.4312% |
| 1949 | #41 | 7,917 | 0.4463% |
| 1948 | #40 | 7,970 | 0.4542% |
| 1947 | #42 | 7,995 | 0.4370% |
| 1946 | #40 | 7,339 | 0.4519% |
| 1945 | #31 | 7,029 | 0.5223% |
| 1944 | #31 | 7,194 | 0.5279% |
| 1943 | #36 | 7,180 | 0.5031% |
| 1942 | #37 | 7,092 | 0.5135% |
| 1941 | #36 | 6,528 | 0.5315% |
| 1940 | #35 | 6,175 | 0.5327% |
| 1939 | #33 | 6,309 | 0.5700% |
| 1938 | #34 | 6,080 | 0.5482% |
| 1937 | #32 | 6,231 | 0.5842% |
| 1936 | #32 | 6,011 | 0.5795% |
| 1935 | #30 | 6,327 | 0.6076% |
| 1934 | #30 | 6,348 | 0.6148% |
| 1933 | #32 | 5,982 | 0.6033% |
| 1932 | #31 | 6,549 | 0.6272% |
| 1931 | #31 | 5,963 | 0.5736% |
| 1930 | #29 | 6,667 | 0.6075% |
| 1929 | #29 | 6,616 | 0.6151% |
| 1928 | #29 | 6,817 | 0.6155% |
| 1927 | #27 | 6,969 | 0.6184% |
| 1926 | #28 | 6,820 | 0.6141% |
| 1925 | #27 | 7,124 | 0.6384% |
| 1924 | #30 | 6,700 | 0.5915% |
| 1923 | #30 | 6,665 | 0.6081% |
| 1922 | #28 | 6,904 | 0.6345% |
| 1921 | #34 | 6,491 | 0.5893% |
| 1920 | #29 | 6,887 | 0.6471% |
| 1919 | #23 | 6,942 | 0.7083% |
| 1918 | #29 | 6,537 | 0.6450% |
| 1917 | #31 | 5,751 | 0.6214% |
| 1916 | #30 | 5,660 | 0.6359% |
| 1915 | #30 | 5,434 | 0.6404% |
| 1914 | #25 | 4,709 | 0.7192% |
| 1913 | #24 | 3,760 | 0.7336% |
| 1912 | #22 | 3,508 | 0.8159% |
| 1911 | #14 | 2,492 | 1.1028% |
| 1910 | #11 | 2,897 | 1.4917% |
| 1909 | #13 | 2,175 | 1.3263% |
| 1908 | #13 | 1,964 | 1.2725% |
| 1907 | #13 | 1,968 | 1.3404% |
| 1906 | #13 | 1,756 | 1.3188% |
| 1905 | #13 | 1,782 | 1.3469% |
| 1904 | #14 | 1,675 | 1.3073% |
| 1903 | #14 | 1,454 | 1.2195% |
| 1902 | #14 | 1,565 | 1.2759% |
| 1901 | #16 | 1,294 | 1.2154% |
| 1900 | #14 | 2,113 | 1.4042% |
| 1899 | #18 | 1,088 | 1.0244% |
| 1898 | #18 | 1,134 | 0.9243% |
| 1897 | #18 | 1,151 | 1.0208% |
| 1896 | #18 | 1,092 | 0.9133% |
| 1895 | #18 | 1,071 | 0.9123% |
| 1894 | #19 | 986 | 0.8517% |
| 1893 | #19 | 882 | 0.7853% |
| 1892 | #19 | 948 | 0.7768% |
| 1891 | #21 | 739 | 0.7303% |
| 1890 | #23 | 758 | 0.6827% |
| 1889 | #26 | 708 | 0.6403% |
| 1888 | #24 | 786 | 0.6504% |
| 1887 | #27 | 590 | 0.5818% |
| 1886 | #28 | 641 | 0.5786% |
| 1885 | #29 | 614 | 0.5696% |
| 1884 | #31 | 578 | 0.5051% |
| 1883 | #34 | 474 | 0.4530% |
| 1882 | #31 | 541 | 0.4759% |
| 1881 | #30 | 498 | 0.4944% |
| 1880 | #34 | 476 | 0.4308% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
