Girl nameCurrently #423 in the USSteady
Willa
WIL-uh//ˈwɪlə//
2 syllablesPeak year: 20195 lettersStarts with W
Meaning & origin
Resolute protection (feminine of William)
Willa is a feminine form related to William, from Germanic elements meaning 'will' or 'desire' and 'protection'. Its crisp, modern-vintage sound and association with author Willa Cather have driven strong recent popularity.
Willa's popularity over time
| Year | Births named Willa |
|---|---|
| 1880 | 12 |
| 1881 | 10 |
| 1882 | 15 |
| 1883 | 20 |
| 1884 | 16 |
| 1885 | 25 |
| 1886 | 31 |
| 1887 | 31 |
| 1888 | 39 |
| 1889 | 40 |
| 1890 | 51 |
| 1891 | 35 |
| 1892 | 51 |
| 1893 | 48 |
| 1894 | 43 |
| 1895 | 53 |
| 1896 | 67 |
| 1897 | 58 |
| 1898 | 60 |
| 1899 | 61 |
| 1900 | 84 |
| 1901 | 55 |
| 1902 | 64 |
| 1903 | 79 |
| 1904 | 91 |
| 1905 | 92 |
| 1906 | 97 |
| 1907 | 106 |
| 1908 | 99 |
| 1909 | 123 |
| 1910 | 134 |
| 1911 | 145 |
| 1912 | 180 |
| 1913 | 208 |
| 1914 | 251 |
| 1915 | 292 |
| 1916 | 316 |
| 1917 | 336 |
| 1918 | 425 |
| 1919 | 382 |
| 1920 | 424 |
| 1921 | 407 |
| 1922 | 416 |
| 1923 | 457 |
| 1924 | 471 |
| 1925 | 521 |
| 1926 | 536 |
| 1927 | 566 |
| 1928 | 500 |
| 1929 | 501 |
| 1930 | 512 |
| 1931 | 450 |
| 1932 | 520 |
| 1933 | 468 |
| 1934 | 486 |
| 1935 | 414 |
| 1936 | 454 |
| 1937 | 411 |
| 1938 | 368 |
| 1939 | 375 |
| 1940 | 375 |
| 1941 | 400 |
| 1942 | 421 |
| 1943 | 364 |
| 1944 | 371 |
| 1945 | 344 |
| 1946 | 300 |
| 1947 | 303 |
| 1948 | 244 |
| 1949 | 293 |
| 1950 | 256 |
| 1951 | 238 |
| 1952 | 276 |
| 1953 | 229 |
| 1954 | 226 |
| 1955 | 237 |
| 1956 | 185 |
| 1957 | 169 |
| 1958 | 163 |
| 1959 | 139 |
| 1960 | 149 |
| 1961 | 138 |
| 1962 | 135 |
| 1963 | 98 |
| 1964 | 109 |
| 1965 | 92 |
| 1966 | 76 |
| 1967 | 74 |
| 1968 | 41 |
| 1969 | 44 |
| 1970 | 50 |
| 1971 | 48 |
| 1972 | 34 |
| 1973 | 29 |
| 1974 | 27 |
| 1975 | 28 |
| 1976 | 24 |
| 1977 | 27 |
| 1978 | 32 |
| 1979 | 34 |
| 1980 | 24 |
| 1981 | 30 |
| 1982 | 27 |
| 1983 | 23 |
| 1984 | 37 |
| 1985 | 24 |
| 1986 | 30 |
| 1987 | 24 |
| 1988 | 32 |
| 1989 | 32 |
| 1990 | 27 |
| 1991 | 30 |
| 1992 | 31 |
| 1993 | 41 |
| 1994 | 48 |
| 1995 | 49 |
| 1996 | 35 |
| 1997 | 33 |
| 1998 | 46 |
| 1999 | 64 |
| 2000 | 56 |
| 2001 | 59 |
| 2002 | 97 |
| 2003 | 96 |
| 2004 | 99 |
| 2005 | 121 |
| 2006 | 116 |
| 2007 | 201 |
| 2008 | 247 |
| 2009 | 252 |
| 2010 | 269 |
| 2011 | 261 |
| 2012 | 389 |
| 2013 | 406 |
| 2014 | 562 |
| 2015 | 675 |
| 2016 | 689 |
| 2017 | 699 |
| 2018 | 813 |
| 2019 | 889 |
| 2020 | 886 |
| 2021 | 887 |
| 2022 | 791 |
| 2023 | 721 |
| 2024 | 729 |
Willa through the decades
- Willa peaked in 2019, when 889 babies were named Willa in the US.
- The 2020s were Willa's strongest decade, averaging 803 births a year.
- Over the last 10 years of data (2015–2024), use of Willa has risen 175% compared to the 10 years before that.
- Willa currently ranks #423 in the US and is holding steady.
Nicknames
Willa
Variants & spellings
Wilhelmina
Famous people named Willa
- Willa Cather — author