Fun Facts About the Name Willow
- A newer favorite: Willow first entered the U.S. top 100 in 2016 and stayed there through 2025 - a run of 10 consecutive years.
- More than 65 thousand babies named Willow: U.S. records list 65,513 babies given the name Willow from 1880 through 2025. Even 465 boys received the name Willow - about 1 boy for every 140 girls.
What Does the Name Willow Mean?
Willow is an English name taken directly from the willow tree. The tree's name goes back to Old English welig, the ordinary word for the tree in that period; Middle English shows forms such as wilwe and wilowe, which lead to the modern spelling and sound. The same Germanic root appears in Dutch wilg and Middle Low German wilge. As a given name, Willow means the tree and nothing beyond that: the traits often linked with willows in folklore, such as bending without breaking or mourning by water, are later symbolic associations, not part of the word's etymology. The tree's own name is unrelated to similar-sounding personal names of other origins.
Willow Name History & Origins
Willow belongs with the English given names drawn from plants and trees, among them Holly, Hazel, and Rowan. In this personal use it is a modern name rather than one inherited from a saint, a queen, or a medieval surname tradition. It is used mainly for girls, with occasional use for boys.
The willow tree has a long cultural record that predates the name. It grows at the water's edge and was linked in European folklore and in classical tradition with grief and with the underworld; the tree also appears in the Hebrew Bible, where the exiles in Psalm 137 hang their harps on willows. Those associations belong to the tree, not to any early bearer of Willow as a personal name.
Modern familiarity with the word comes partly through literature and film. Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows (1908) uses the tree in its title, not as a character's name. Later works use Willow as a character name: the title figure of the fantasy film Willow (1988) and Willow Rosenberg in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997). These are fictional uses of an already existing word-name, and they show the name's spread in English-speaking countries rather than explaining its origin.
How Popular is the Name Willow?
Willow recorded its highest annual U.S. birth count in 2021. Willow entered the top 100 U.S. girl names in 2016.
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 | #44 | 4,763 | 0.2963% |
| 2024 | #41 | 4,653 | 0.2884% |
| 2023 | #41 | 4,761 | 0.2971% |
| 2022 | #37 | 5,064 | 0.3090% |
| 2021 | #39 | 5,193 | 0.3167% |
| 2020 | #48 | 4,396 | 0.2721% |
| 2019 | #45 | 4,603 | 0.2744% |
| 2018 | #60 | 3,933 | 0.2313% |
| 2017 | #80 | 3,569 | 0.2068% |
| 2016 | #96 | 3,124 | 0.1763% |
| 2015 | #111 | 2,811 | 0.1575% |
| 2014 | #136 | 2,410 | 0.1349% |
| 2013 | #155 | 2,079 | 0.1185% |
| 2012 | #171 | 1,838 | 0.1044% |
| 2011 | #199 | 1,575 | 0.0895% |
| 2010 | #289 | 1,121 | 0.0631% |
| 2009 | #312 | 1,053 | 0.0573% |
| 2008 | #405 | 797 | 0.0422% |
| 2007 | #426 | 771 | 0.0401% |
| 2006 | #525 | 578 | 0.0304% |
| 2005 | #532 | 542 | 0.0293% |
| 2004 | #549 | 519 | 0.0283% |
| 2003 | #527 | 537 | 0.0294% |
| 2002 | #504 | 546 | 0.0304% |
| 2001 | #666 | 379 | 0.0210% |
| 2000 | #761 | 301 | 0.0166% |
| 1999 | #730 | 310 | 0.0175% |
| 1998 | #854 | 250 | 0.0141% |
| 1997 | #1,117 | 169 | 0.0097% |
| 1996 | #1,357 | 125 | 0.0071% |
| 1995 | #1,650 | 90 | 0.0051% |
| 1994 | #1,756 | 84 | 0.0047% |
| 1993 | #2,485 | 51 | 0.0028% |
| 1992 | #2,431 | 54 | 0.0029% |
| 1991 | #2,354 | 55 | 0.0029% |
| 1990 | #3,711 | 29 | 0.0015% |
| 1989 | #3,100 | 35 | 0.0019% |
| 1988 | #3,687 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1987 | #4,121 | 21 | 0.0012% |
| 1986 | #3,888 | 22 | 0.0013% |
| 1985 | #2,655 | 37 | 0.0022% |
| 1984 | #2,989 | 30 | 0.0018% |
| 1983 | #2,781 | 32 | 0.0019% |
| 1982 | #2,412 | 41 | 0.0024% |
| 1981 | #2,407 | 41 | 0.0025% |
| 1980 | #1,831 | 60 | 0.0036% |
| 1979 | #1,767 | 62 | 0.0039% |
| 1978 | #1,510 | 75 | 0.0049% |
| 1977 | #1,660 | 64 | 0.0042% |
| 1976 | #1,550 | 66 | 0.0045% |
| 1975 | #1,778 | 53 | 0.0036% |
| 1974 | #1,708 | 54 | 0.0037% |
| 1973 | #1,938 | 43 | 0.0029% |
| 1972 | #2,356 | 32 | 0.0021% |
| 1971 | #2,373 | 33 | 0.0020% |
| 1970 | #3,309 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1969 | #3,458 | 17 | 0.0010% |
| 1968 | #3,608 | 15 | 0.0009% |
| 1967 | #4,618 | 10 | 0.0006% |
| 1966 | #3,555 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1965 | #4,200 | 11 | 0.0006% |
| 1964 | #2,915 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 1963 | #4,012 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1962 | #4,007 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1961 | #3,789 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1960 | #3,354 | 15 | 0.0007% |
| 1959 | #3,618 | 13 | 0.0006% |
| 1958 | #4,884 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1957 | #3,304 | 14 | 0.0007% |
| 1956 | #3,046 | 16 | 0.0008% |
| 1955 | #2,470 | 21 | 0.0011% |
| 1954 | #3,488 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1953 | #2,696 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 1952 | #3,792 | 10 | 0.0005% |
| 1951 | #3,101 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 1950 | #2,905 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 1949 | #3,174 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 1948 | #2,414 | 18 | 0.0011% |
| 1947 | #2,044 | 24 | 0.0014% |
| 1946 | #2,151 | 20 | 0.0013% |
| 1945 | #1,872 | 21 | 0.0016% |
| 1944 | #1,804 | 23 | 0.0017% |
| 1943 | #2,555 | 14 | 0.0010% |
| 1942 | #2,814 | 12 | 0.0009% |
| 1941 | #2,270 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1940 | #2,106 | 16 | 0.0014% |
| 1939 | #1,879 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1938 | #1,702 | 22 | 0.0020% |
| 1937 | #2,446 | 13 | 0.0012% |
| 1936 | #1,548 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1935 | #2,303 | 14 | 0.0013% |
| 1934 | #1,602 | 23 | 0.0022% |
| 1933 | #1,550 | 24 | 0.0024% |
| 1932 | #1,519 | 26 | 0.0024% |
| 1931 | #1,593 | 24 | 0.0023% |
| 1930 | #1,932 | 19 | 0.0017% |
| 1929 | #1,554 | 26 | 0.0023% |
| 1928 | #1,468 | 30 | 0.0026% |
| 1927 | #1,826 | 23 | 0.0019% |
| 1926 | #1,356 | 35 | 0.0030% |
| 1925 | #1,646 | 27 | 0.0022% |
| 1924 | #1,718 | 26 | 0.0021% |
| 1923 | #1,635 | 27 | 0.0022% |
| 1922 | #2,475 | 15 | 0.0012% |
| 1921 | #1,863 | 23 | 0.0019% |
| 1920 | #2,013 | 20 | 0.0017% |
| 1919 | #2,508 | 14 | 0.0012% |
| 1918 | #2,373 | 15 | 0.0013% |
| 1917 | #3,084 | 10 | 0.0009% |
| 1916 | #1,803 | 20 | 0.0019% |
| 1915 | #1,570 | 23 | 0.0023% |
| 1914 | #2,261 | 11 | 0.0014% |
| 1913 | #1,880 | 12 | 0.0019% |
| 1912 | #2,970 | 6 | 0.0011% |
| 1909 | #2,542 | 5 | 0.0014% |
| 1908 | #1,545 | 9 | 0.0027% |
| 1907 | #2,389 | 5 | 0.0016% |
| 1906 | #1,552 | 8 | 0.0027% |
| 1904 | #1,482 | 8 | 0.0029% |
| 1902 | #2,038 | 5 | 0.0019% |
| 1890 | #1,530 | 5 | 0.0026% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #4,530 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2024 | #3,770 | 30 | 0.0017% |
| 2023 | #2,731 | 48 | 0.0028% |
| 2022 | #3,145 | 39 | 0.0022% |
| 2021 | #3,290 | 36 | 0.0021% |
| 2020 | #5,025 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2019 | #3,995 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2018 | #3,986 | 27 | 0.0015% |
| 2017 | #6,651 | 13 | 0.0007% |
| 2016 | #5,539 | 17 | 0.0009% |
| 2015 | #5,974 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #5,982 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2013 | #4,793 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2012 | #5,979 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2011 | #9,558 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2010 | #10,704 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2007 | #7,060 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 2006 | #13,939 | 5 | 0.0002% |
| 2005 | #10,105 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2004 | #8,890 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 2003 | #9,544 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2002 | #9,356 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2000 | #10,304 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1999 | #5,642 | 12 | 0.0006% |
| 1998 | #9,602 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1997 | #9,227 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1996 | #7,114 | 8 | 0.0004% |
| 1992 | #9,782 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1991 | #8,205 | 6 | 0.0003% |
| 1979 | #7,050 | 5 | 0.0003% |
| 1924 | #4,339 | 6 | 0.0005% |
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.
Explore Name Lists Featuring Willow
Carl appears in several baby name collections based on U.S. popularity records, naming trends, and name characteristics. Explore these lists to discover other names with similar histories, styles, or features.
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How the Name Willow Shapes Your Personality and Life?
To express itself, you must follow the divine law of love. You have great persistence and hate to give up. You are a good mixer, charming, magnetic and intuitive. The spirituality is the key to success. You are intuitive and might be interested in the arts, drama or science.
Dependable, very down-to-earth and well grounded, you are always looking for meaningful work, a career where you can take pride in your work and do the best job you are capable of. Your prime desire is to build protected and secure environment at home and at work. You can be very persuasive in achieving goals and gaining objectives. You can be very detailed and well-organized and possess great organizational skills. At times you may appear too stubborn and overly critical to others, but your practical approach to life and productivity makes you one of the most beneficent members of community.
✦ Willow's Deeper Meaning & Tips for Parents Discover Willow's symbolic numbers and practical tips for choosing a name that complements your child's birth date.