Will
Clipping of William or Willow, less often, other given names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred or Willard.
Every Will since 1880 — 46,610 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Will
Will is uncommon for boys in the United States, ranked #1,195 in 2025 with 170 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 46,610 American babies have been named Will. Its peak came in 1888, when 712 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the late 1800s.
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 Will stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Will 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 | — | — | 170 | #1,195 |
| 2024 | — | — | 153 | #1,289 |
| 2023 | — | — | 185 | #1,139 |
| 2022 | — | — | 178 | #1,162 |
| 2021 | — | — | 200 | #1,070 |
| 2020 | — | — | 235 | #941 |
| 2019 | — | — | 217 | #983 |
| 2018 | — | — | 242 | #897 |
| 2017 | — | — | 239 | #900 |
| 2016 | — | — | 277 | #825 |
| 2015 | — | — | 270 | #835 |
| 2014 | — | — | 313 | #755 |
| 2013 | — | — | 315 | #741 |
| 2012 | — | — | 352 | #674 |
| 2011 | — | — | 357 | #664 |
| 2010 | — | — | 396 | #623 |
| 2009 | — | — | 457 | #577 |
| 2008 | — | — | 432 | #585 |
| 2007 | — | — | 457 | #564 |
| 2006 | — | — | 473 | #534 |
| 2005 | — | — | 503 | #494 |
| 2004 | — | — | 452 | #528 |
| 2003 | — | — | 433 | #535 |
| 2002 | — | — | 403 | #549 |
| 2001 | — | — | 389 | #550 |
| 2000 | — | — | 447 | #510 |
| 1995 | — | — | 266 | #637 |
| 1990 | — | — | 289 | #590 |
| 1985 | — | — | 201 | #618 |
| 1980 | — | — | 271 | #519 |
| 1975 | — | — | 224 | #537 |
| 1970 | — | — | 230 | #533 |
| 1965 | — | — | 196 | #547 |
| 1960 | — | — | 225 | #530 |
| 1955 | — | — | 158 | #584 |
| 1950 | 6 | #5,288 | 224 | #445 |
| 1945 | — | — | 191 | #432 |
| 1940 | 5 | #5,009 | 209 | #396 |
| 1935 | 6 | #4,191 | 305 | #311 |
| 1930 | 12 | #2,686 | 259 | #356 |
| 1925 | 18 | #2,189 | 367 | #299 |
| 1920 | 14 | #2,584 | 368 | #294 |
| 1915 | 19 | #1,797 | 362 | #249 |
| 1910 | 12 | #1,417 | 278 | #113 |
| 1905 | 9 | #1,419 | 286 | #86 |
| 1900 | 12 | #1,170 | 603 | #43 |
| 1895 | 6 | #1,590 | 485 | #44 |
| 1890 | — | — | 613 | #30 |
| 1885 | 5 | #1,196 | 625 | #27 |
| 1880 | — | — | 588 | #27 |
Famous people named Will
- Will Smith Actor · b. 1968
- Will Durant Writer · 1885–1981
- Will Eisner Comic artist · 1917–2005
- Will Sampson Painter · 1933–1987
- Will Ferrell Actor · b. 1967
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Will mean?
Clipping of William or Willow, less often, other given names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred or Willard.
How popular is the name Will in 2025?
Will ranked #1,195 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 170 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Will?
46,610 babies have been named Will in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Will most popular?
Will peaked in 1888, when 712 newborns received the name.
Is Will a boy or girl name?
Will is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 99% of babies with the name.
Is the name Will rising or falling?
Will is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Will?
Well-known people named Will include Will Smith (actor), Will Durant (writer), Will Eisner (comic artist).