Will
Boy name · American · English · German
Meaningresolute protector · English form of William
- US rank
- #1,193
- Syllables
- 1
- Peak
- #25 in 1882
170 babies were named Will in the US in 2025. It has dropped 258 places in five years.
Found on lists
Save adds it to your list. Vote moves it up the top voted names.
US births per million girls, 1881–2025
US births per million boys, 1880–2025
Most popular states (2025)
Similar names
Popularity: U.S. Social Security Administration (babies with 5+ births per year).
Did you know?
A few things about Will you might not know, from US birth records and Wikipedia. Handy for convincing a partner, or a grandparent.
Famous Will
Will Rogers
American humorist and entertainer (1879–1935)
Choose Will and your child shares a first name with Will Rogers, an American humorist and entertainer. A ready-made answer when someone asks “Will, like who?” Will Rogers's Wikipedia article is available in 60 languages, a good sign of just how widely known they are.
Read about Will Rogers on Wikipedia (opens in a new tab)Photo: Melbourne Spurr, Public domain (opens in a new tab), via Wikimedia Commons
- How commonAbout 1 in every 10,050 baby boys born in the US in 2025 was named Will, 170 babies in all. In a typical school of 500 kids, your Will would very likely be the only one.
- HistoryWill has been in use since at least 1880, the first year US birth records were kept. That's 145 years of Wills, and counting.
- Best yearIt was far more popular in 1882, when it ranked #25. Today it's #1,193, so it could be due a comeback.
- Then vs nowWill was 2.3× more common in 2000 than it is today. In 2000 it was given to about 1 in 4,394 baby boys; in 2025, about 1 in 10,050.
- TrendWill has slipped 258 places over the last five years and now sits at #1,193. Good news if you want a familiar name that fewer kids will share.
- Where it's lovedWill is most popular in Utah, where it ranks #378, followed by Iowa (#493) and Massachusetts (#690). It's in the top 1,000 in 9 states.
- MeaningWill is an English form of William, which means “resolute protector”. Our records link it to American, English and German roots.
About the name Will
Will is a boy name of American, English and German origin meaning “resolute protector”. It has 4 letters and 1 syllable, starting with W and ending in “-ill”. US birth records list Will for boys from 1880 to 2025, in 146 of those 146 years. Its best year was 1882, when it ranked #25 among boy names. In 2025 it ranked #1,193, with 170 babies.
Origin:American namesEnglish namesGerman names
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 43 | 23,202 girls |
| 1890s | 15 | 68,259 girls |
| 1900s | 24 | 41,946 girls |
| 1910s | 20 | 51,230 girls |
| 1920s | 14 | 70,175 girls |
| 1930s | 9.8 | 102,459 girls |
| 1940s | 3.0 | 327,869 girls |
| 1950s | 1.4 | 699,301 girls |
| 1970s | 0.4 | 2,727,273 girls |
| Decade | Babies per million | About 1 in |
|---|---|---|
| 1880s | 5,651 | 177 boys |
| 1890s | 4,576 | 219 boys |
| 1900s | 2,429 | 412 boys |
| 1910s | 602 | 1,662 boys |
| 1920s | 311 | 3,218 boys |
| 1930s | 228 | 4,395 boys |
| 1940s | 148 | 6,741 boys |
| 1950s | 99 | 10,061 boys |
| 1960s | 109 | 9,164 boys |
| 1970s | 135 | 7,386 boys |
| 1980s | 127 | 7,859 boys |
| 1990s | 150 | 6,645 boys |
| 2000s | 223 | 4,491 boys |
| 2010s | 158 | 6,331 boys |
| 2020s | 108 | 9,248 boys |
Other spellings of Will
More American boy names
- Boy name: Henry · ruler of the home
- Unisex name: Maverick · independent, unbranded
- Unisex name: Kai · sea
- Unisex name: Jace · healer
- Boy name: Jaxon · son of Jack
- Boy name: Milo · possibly gracious
- Boy name: Bryson · son of Brice
- Boy name: Louis · famous warrior
Questions about the name Will
What does the name Will mean?
Will means “resolute protector” in English, as a form of William.
What is the origin of the name Will?
Will has American, English, German roots in our records. Other American names include Henry, Maverick, Kai.
Is Will a boy or girl name?
Will is a boy name.
How popular is the name Will?
Will ranked #1,193 for US boys in 2025, given to 170 babies. Its best year was 1882 (#25).