Willa
A feminine form of William, a Germanic name joining wil, will or desire, with helm, helmet or protection. It also served as a short form of Wilhelmina.
Willa in 2025
Willa was given to 742 babies in the United States in 2025, making it the 862nd most popular name of the year. That is roughly one in every 4,468 babies born.
The history of Willa
Willa reached its highest point in 2019, when 889 babies were given the name, ranking 724th that year. Its best-ever ranking was 503rd, in 1932.
Across the 146 years of records since 1880, 32,848 babies have been named Willa. Half of them were born before 1947, which places the name's centre of gravity with the Baby Boomers.
Willa by decade
| Decade | Babies named Willa | Best rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 239 | 643 |
| 1890s | 527 | 575 |
| 1900s | 890 | 511 |
| 1910s | 2,669 | 529 |
| 1920s | 4,799 | 518 |
| 1930s | 4,458 | 503 |
| 1940s | 3,415 | 618 |
| 1950s | 2,118 | 915 |
| 1960s | 956 | 1,469 |
| 1970s | 333 | 2,853 |
| 1980s | 283 | 4,044 |
| 1990s | 404 | 3,957 |
| 2000s | 1,344 | 1,863 |
| 2010s | 5,652 | 724 |
| 2020s | 4,761 | 710 |
Where Willa is heading
Willa has risen 10% over the past decade, from 675 babies in 2015 to 742 in 2025.
Names like Willa
Names that rose and fell at the same time as Willa.