Willis

Last seen for girls in 1989 at #12,362 · #2,539 for boys in 2025, 52 births
Given to boys 98.5% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · boys
1880 · 166 births
Debut · boys
166 births
In top 100 · boys
3 yrs
of 146 years
Total births · boys
52,336
since 1880

Willis over time

boys

Rank among boys' names. Click any year to open it.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201952peak #86, 1880boys
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025—#2,53952
2024—#2,63750
2023—#2,31560
2022—#2,87344
2021—#2,25362
2020—#2,21262
2019—#2,58250
2018—#2,38555
2017—#2,49351
2016—#2,02870
2015—#1,95574
2014—#1,82881
2013—#1,87875
2012—#1,86378
2011—#1,88674
2010—#2,40252
2009—#2,07766
2008—#2,23759
2007—#1,81180
2006—#1,75879
2005—#1,92266
2004—#1,88065
2003—#1,61178
2002—#1,68270
2001—#1,48182
2000—#1,241107
1999—#1,181109
1998—#1,172106
1997—#1,22795
1996—#1,071113
1995—#1,040115
1994—#1,017119
1993—#953127
1992—#956126
1991—#809163
1990—#804159
1989#12,3625#770166
1988—#692183
1987—#703169
1986—#680176
1985—#642186
1984—#624186
1983—#601203
1982—#570227
1981—#607199
1980—#573228
1979—#563233
1978—#573214
1977—#548232
1976—#609181
1975—#566203
1974—#568199
1973—#571193
1972—#502245
1971—#513253
1970—#500260
1969—#515227
1968—#498230
1967—#486237
1966—#482254
1965#6,5395#449300
1964—#445324
1963#4,5399#432340
1962—#415375
1961#4,8828#419357
1960—#389414
1959#6,2455#395407
1958—#383416
1957#4,5368#361447
1956#3,32113#350444
1955#3,77810#343452
1954—#337447
1953#5,0406#321480
1952#4,9086#314513
1951#2,57716#309504
1950#3,23511#313476
1949#5,2445#310479
1948#4,6516#278584
1947#3,24011#279600
1946#2,22818#259584
1945#4,5565#231579
1944#3,3788#219623
1943#2,07918#208752
1942#2,53713#219666
1941#2,66811#201685
1940#4,3495#209609
1939#2,41712#191693
1938#2,34013#187731
1937#1,67921#184724
1936#1,87317#175768
1935#1,60622#173789
1934#1,77119#166867
1933#1,90617#170812
1932#1,68521#165911
1931#1,68621#160931
1930#1,93418#159965
1929#1,82520#1501,030
1928#1,83721#1481,085
1927#1,52329#1491,058
1926#1,44931#1401,233
1925#1,79523#1391,198
1924#2,40915#1361,261
1923#1,42832#1381,183
1922#1,68225#1331,250
1921#1,72325#1331,209
1920#2,01519#1331,197
1919#1,44529#1311,136
1918#2,10217#1411,091
1917#1,50725#140954
1916#1,80519#136990
1915#2,05015#137950
1914#2,4349#135743
1913#2,03410#135573
1912#1,71911#141453
1911#1,24114#143233
1910#1,9357#149216
1909#1,29011#139189
1908#1,6767#146161
1907—#156146
1906—#139148
1905—#151136
1904—#144136
1903—#141133
1902—#134144
1901#1,1369#149106
1900—#134169
1899#1,2787#128126
1898—#143121
1897—#124132
1896—#120145
1895—#124135
1894—#118133
1893—#112149
1892—#119143
1891—#117118
1890—#118129
1889—#115124
1888—#119135
1887#1,1475#117113
1886—#103150
1885—#106133
1884—#100151
1883—#103131
1882—#104143
1881—#93142
1880—#86166
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Willis was already there! It came in at #86, and was given to 166 baby boys.


Quietest stretch: 2017–2025, when fewer than 63 boys a year got the name.

Where Willis is popular in 1952

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedAKMaine: #209 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 1,979 boysMEVermont: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedNHWashington: #273 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,740 boysWAIdaho: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedIDMontana: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedMNIllinois: #291 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 4,573 boysILWisconsin: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedWIMichigan: #412 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 9,622 boysMINew York: #352 for boys · 24 births · 1 in 6,866 boysNYMassachusetts: #303 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 10,324 boysMARhode Island: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedSDIowa: #271 for boys · 8 births · 1 in 3,861 boysIAIndiana: #428 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 10,077 boysINOhio: #274 for boys · 22 births · 1 in 4,612 boysOHPennsylvania: #258 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 4,713 boysPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #385 for boys · 23 births · 1 in 6,101 boysCAUtah: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedUTColorado: #272 for boys · 6 births · 1 in 2,996 boysCONebraska: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedNEMissouri: #273 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 3,416 boysMOKentucky: #171 for boys · 28 births · 1 in 1,274 boysKYWest Virginia: #191 for boys · 15 births · 1 in 1,584 boysWVVirginia: #206 for boys · 25 births · 1 in 1,643 boysVAMaryland: #252 for boys · 9 births · 1 in 3,070 boysMDDelaware: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: #287 for boys · 5 births · 1 in 2,212 boysNMKansas: #222 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 1,878 boysKSArkansas: #232 for boys · 11 births · 1 in 1,950 boysARTennessee: #269 for boys · 13 births · 1 in 3,030 boysTNNorth Carolina: #202 for boys · 35 births · 1 in 1,521 boysNCSouth Carolina: #221 for boys · 18 births · 1 in 1,670 boysSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #234 for boys · 12 births · 1 in 2,005 boysOKLouisiana: #215 for boys · 27 births · 1 in 1,392 boysLAMississippi: #303 for boys · 10 births · 1 in 2,883 boysMSAlabama: #243 for boys · 20 births · 1 in 1,943 boysALGeorgia: #253 for boys · 19 births · 1 in 2,458 boysGAHawaii: fewer than 5 boys named Willis, so not publishedHITexas: #422 for boys · 26 births · 1 in 4,426 boysTXFlorida: #218 for boys · 21 births · 1 in 1,690 boysFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · boys
  1. Kentucky#171 · 1 in 1,274
  2. West Virginia#191 · 1 in 1,584
  3. North Carolina#202 · 1 in 1,521
  4. Virginia#206 · 1 in 1,643
  5. Maine#209 · 1 in 1,979

Best ever in a state: #57 in Delaware, 1919.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Kentucky#171281 in 1,274
West Virginia#191151 in 1,584
North Carolina#202351 in 1,521
Virginia#206251 in 1,643
Maine#20951 in 1,979
Louisiana#215271 in 1,392
Florida#218211 in 1,690
South Carolina#221181 in 1,670
Kansas#222121 in 1,878
Arkansas#232111 in 1,950
Oklahoma#234121 in 2,005
Alabama#243201 in 1,943
Maryland#25291 in 3,070
Georgia#253191 in 2,458
Pennsylvania#258251 in 4,713
Tennessee#269131 in 3,030
Iowa#27181 in 3,861
Colorado#27261 in 2,996
Missouri#273131 in 3,416
Washington#27381 in 3,740
Ohio#274221 in 4,612
New Mexico#28751 in 2,212
Illinois#291221 in 4,573
Massachusetts#30351 in 10,324
Mississippi#303101 in 2,883
New York#352241 in 6,866
California#385231 in 6,101
Michigan#41291 in 9,622
Texas#422261 in 4,426
Indiana#42851 in 10,077
Alaska———
Arizona———
Connecticut———
Delaware———
District of Columbia———
Hawaii———
Idaho———
Minnesota———
Montana———
Nebraska———
Nevada———
New Hampshire———
New Jersey———
North Dakota———
Oregon———
Rhode Island———
South Dakota———
Utah———
Vermont———
Wisconsin———
Wyoming———

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the boys born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Willis
Momentum · boys
Holding steady
  • 98 spots since 2024 (#2,637 → #2,539)
  • 327 spots since 2020 (#2,212 → #2,539)
  • 584 spots since 2015 (#1,955 → #2,539)
  • Biggest jump: 61 spots in 1977 (#609 → #548)
  • Biggest drop: 147 spots in 1992 (#809 → #956)
Rise & fade · boys
Peaked on debut
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1880 at #86 (166 births)
  • Births halved by 2001, 121 yrs later
Top of the charts · boys
Top 100 for 3 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: 3 yrs · run 1880–1881
  • Top 1,000: 114 yrs · run 1880–1993
Share of babies · boys
1 in 666
  • Highest: 1 in 666 boys born in 1880 were named Willis (0.15%)
  • Latest: 1 in 32,848 boys born in 2025 (0.00%)
Era · boys
The 1920s
  • 22.4% of all boys named Willis (11,704) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s1,388#86 (1880)#105
1890s1,331#112 (1893)#122
1900s1,468#134 (1900)#143
1910s7,339#131 (1919)#139
1920s11,704#133 (1922)#140
1930s8,191#159 (1930)#173
1940s6,161#201 (1941)#241
1950s4,586#309 (1951)#343
1960s3,058#389 (1960)#453
1970s2,213#500 (1970)#551
1980s1,923#570 (1982)#646
1990s1,232#804 (1990)#1,023
2000s752#1,241 (2000)#1,770
2010s660#1,828 (2014)#2,130
2020s330#2,212 (2020)#2,472

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 boys in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Willis in 1952

girls
#4,908
6 births · 1 in 309,056 girls
boys
#314
513 births · 1 in 3,789 boys

Top girls' names in 1952

  1. #1Linda67,082
  2. #2Mary65,629
  3. #3Patricia53,101
  4. #4Deborah49,811
  5. #5Susan41,348
  6. #6Barbara39,864
  7. #7Nancy31,739
  8. #8Karen28,956
  9. #9Debra26,832
  10. #10Sandra26,097
  11. #4,908Willis6

Top boys' names in 1952

  1. #1James87,065
  2. #2Robert86,588
  3. #3John83,140
  4. #4Michael79,037
  5. #5David71,752
  6. #6William63,039
  7. #7Richard58,350
  8. #8Thomas48,647
  9. #9Charles38,866
  10. #10Gary38,754
  11. #314Willis513
More about 1952

girls

1,854,335 girls got a published name in 1952; 1 in 309,056 of them was named Willis, which outranked 23.2% of the 6,389 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 23.2% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Willis
  1. #4,483Zara7
  2. #4,483Zenia7
  3. #4,483Zondra7
  4. #4,908Willis6
  5. #4,908Aaron6
  6. #4,908Adene6
  7. #4,908Adonna6
  8. #5,563Adaline5
  9. #5,563Adean5
  10. #5,563Adelfa5

Tied with 654 names at #4,908; 3 shown. Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1951
Risers
  1. ↑ 2,501Pandora#3,284 → #783
  2. ↑ 368Lise#1,314 → #946
  3. ↑ 353Vanessa#656 → #303
  4. ↑ 334Dorinda#1,170 → #836
  5. ↑ 332Mitzi#928 → #596
Fallers
  1. ↓ 380Rhona#988 → #1,368
  2. ↓ 342Sharleen#765 → #1,107
  3. ↓ 270Enid#908 → #1,178
  4. ↓ 237Allyn#988 → #1,225
  5. ↓ 230Sheron#908 → #1,138

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

boys

1,943,633 boys got a published name in 1952; 1 in 3,789 of them was named Willis, which outranked 92.6% of the 4,257 boys' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 33.7% of boys (44.2% in 1880, 8.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Willis
  1. #311Armando529
  2. #312Julian521
  3. #313Forrest518
  4. #314Willis513
  5. #315Miguel511
  6. #316Pete504
  7. #317Mickey501
Biggest movers since 1951
Risers
  1. ↑ 753Darren#1,598 → #845
  2. ↑ 372Robby#1,242 → #870
  3. ↑ 355Cris#1,218 → #863
  4. ↑ 301Ethan#1,295 → #994
  5. ↑ 280Adan#1,150 → #870
Fallers
  1. ↓ 477Ottis#984 → #1,461
  2. ↓ 408Wayland#915 → #1,323
  3. ↓ 330Mcarthur#806 → #1,136
  4. ↓ 305Arvin#963 → #1,268
  5. ↓ 285Levon#881 → #1,166

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1952 →