Willis
Boy name · #2539 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Willis? In official American birth records, Willis has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Willis ranks #2539 among American boys' names as of 2025, with 52 newborns given the name that year. A decade ago it stood at #1955, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 34,615 boys born in 2025 was named Willis.
Babies named Willis per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Willis first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 166 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1924, when 1,261 boys were named Willis — good for #136 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Willis against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Willis in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Willis is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Willis will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Willis is most common
State-level data for Willis is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Willis
Statistically, parents drawn to Willis tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Morris, Weldon, Wilfred, Rufus, and Marion.
MorrisWeldonWilfredRufusMarionHermanBennieWilbur
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Willis | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 52 | #2539 |
| 2024 | 50 | #2637 |
| 2023 | 60 | #2315 |
| 2022 | 44 | #2873 |
| 2021 | 62 | #2253 |
| 2020 | 62 | #2212 |
| 2019 | 50 | #2582 |
| 2018 | 55 | #2385 |
| 2017 | 51 | #2493 |
| 2016 | 70 | #2028 |
| 2015 | 74 | #1955 |
| 2014 | 81 | #1828 |
| 2013 | 75 | #1878 |
| 2012 | 78 | #1863 |
| 2011 | 74 | #1886 |
| 2010 | 52 | #2402 |
| 2009 | 66 | #2077 |
| 2008 | 59 | #2237 |
| 2007 | 80 | #1811 |
| 2006 | 79 | #1758 |
| 2005 | 66 | #1922 |
| 2004 | 65 | #1880 |
| 2003 | 78 | #1611 |
| 2002 | 70 | #1682 |
| 2001 | 82 | #1481 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Willis?
In official American birth records, the name Willis first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 166 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Willis a popular boy name?
Willis ranked #2539 among boys in 2025 with 52 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #1955.
When was the name Willis most popular?
Willis peaked in 1924, when 1,261 American boys received the name (ranked #136 that year). Since 1924 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Willis?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 34,615 newborn American boys was named Willis. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.