The first name Willis
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈwɪlɪs/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
A male given name transferred from the surname.
From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 4 boys were named Willis, making it the 4,275th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2012, with 23 births (#1,152).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Willis with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Willis at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 52 boys born in the United States were named Willis, the 2,567th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1924, when 1,261 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Questions
- How popular is the name Willis?
- In 2025, 4 boys born in England and Wales were named Willis, ranking 4,275th. Its peak was 2012, with 23 births.
- Is Willis a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 98% of the 53,154 US babies named Willis since 1880 were boys.
- When was Willis most popular?
- 1924 in the United States, when 1,261 babies were named Willis, its highest rank at 136th.
- How do you pronounce Willis?
- Willis is /ˈwɪlɪs/, 2 syllables.
- Is Willis also a surname?
- Yes. Willis is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.