Willa
Derived from Wilhelmina and recoined in the 19th century in America based on the male given names Will and William.
Every Willa since 1880 — 32,848 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Willa
Willa is moderately common for girls in the United States, ranked #422 in 2025 with 742 babies given the name. It is currently rising compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 32,848 American babies have been named Willa. Its peak came in 2019, when 889 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
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 Willa stood among all girls' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Willa 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 | 742 | #422 | — | — |
| 2024 | 733 | #423 | — | — |
| 2023 | 721 | #430 | — | — |
| 2022 | 791 | #396 | — | — |
| 2021 | 887 | #351 | — | — |
| 2020 | 887 | #350 | — | — |
| 2019 | 889 | #356 | — | — |
| 2018 | 813 | #383 | — | — |
| 2017 | 699 | #454 | — | — |
| 2016 | 689 | #461 | — | — |
| 2015 | 675 | #481 | — | — |
| 2014 | 562 | #551 | — | — |
| 2013 | 406 | #697 | — | — |
| 2012 | 389 | #717 | — | — |
| 2011 | 261 | #984 | — | — |
| 2010 | 269 | #954 | — | — |
| 2009 | 252 | #1,036 | — | — |
| 2008 | 247 | #1,061 | — | — |
| 2007 | 201 | #1,238 | — | — |
| 2006 | 116 | #1,796 | — | — |
| 2005 | 121 | #1,656 | — | — |
| 2004 | 99 | #1,906 | — | — |
| 2003 | 96 | #1,914 | — | — |
| 2002 | 97 | #1,851 | — | — |
| 2001 | 59 | #2,599 | — | — |
| 2000 | 56 | #2,671 | — | — |
| 1995 | 49 | #2,587 | — | — |
| 1990 | 27 | #3,906 | — | — |
| 1985 | 24 | #3,618 | — | — |
| 1980 | 24 | #3,502 | — | — |
| 1975 | 28 | #2,742 | — | — |
| 1970 | 50 | #1,802 | — | — |
| 1965 | 92 | #1,096 | — | — |
| 1960 | 149 | #853 | — | — |
| 1955 | 237 | #601 | — | — |
| 1950 | 256 | #507 | — | — |
| 1945 | 344 | #380 | — | — |
| 1940 | 375 | #329 | — | — |
| 1935 | 414 | #298 | — | — |
| 1930 | 512 | #293 | — | — |
| 1925 | 521 | #296 | — | — |
| 1920 | 424 | #317 | — | — |
| 1915 | 292 | #347 | — | — |
| 1910 | 134 | #342 | — | — |
| 1905 | 92 | #349 | — | — |
| 1900 | 84 | #369 | — | — |
| 1895 | 53 | #390 | — | — |
| 1890 | 51 | #360 | — | — |
| 1885 | 25 | #427 | — | — |
| 1880 | 12 | #517 | — | — |
Famous people named Willa
- Willa Cather Writer · 1873–1947
- Willa Holland Actor · b. 1991
- Willa Fitzgerald Actor · b. 1991
- Willa Ford Singer · b. 1981
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Willa mean?
Derived from Wilhelmina and recoined in the 19th century in America based on the male given names Will and William.
How popular is the name Willa in 2025?
Willa ranked #422 among girls' names in the United States in 2025, with 742 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Willa?
32,848 babies have been named Willa in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Willa most popular?
Willa peaked in 2019, when 889 newborns received the name.
Is Willa a boy or girl name?
Willa is overwhelmingly a girl's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Willa rising or falling?
Willa is on the rise — noticeably more popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named Willa?
Well-known people named Willa include Willa Cather (writer), Willa Holland (actor), Willa Fitzgerald (actor).