Will - A very unique male name
Will at a glance
Will is ranked #1207 among boy baby names in 2025, with 120 births in 2025. It peaked in 1910 at #105 and first appeared on the charts in 1910.
- Rank in 2025
- #1207
- Births in 2025
- 120
- Peak year
- 1910 (#105)
- First appeared
- 1910
- Trend
- #961 in 2020 → #1207 in 2025 (Falling)
- Popularity
- 1 in 12,219 boys
- Visitor rating
- 5.0/5 (2 recent votes)
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration · Data through 2025 · Updated 2026
With that position 1 in 12,219 baby boys were given this name - making this a very unique male name according to our Popularity Score algorithm. Will peaked in popularity 116 years ago in 1910 on position 105.
Famous with this name
Will Smith
Will Poulter
Will Patton
How would you rate Will, 1-5?
Will is currently topping the charts in...
Did you know that popularity can vary a lot between states? Will is currently topping the baby name charts in Utah at position #407 - and is the least popular in Texas at position #1,752.Why care about state specific baby name charts? It could be that a name that is very popular on the national overall charts is less (or even more) popular where you live. So make sure you check out the state specific charts below and find out how popular or unique Will is where you live.
Comment and discuss
Will origin and meaning
English, short form of William
Short for William — Germanic for 'will, desire' + 'helmet, protection'
Will has served as William's everyday short form for a thousand years and has long been registered as a name in its own right. It peaked as a standalone in 2005 and has been falling since, as parents increasingly put William itself on the certificate. As a word it also reads as the English noun 'will', which gives it a quiet double sense.
Attested etymology
Will is a 4 letter name with 1 syllables.
To see famous people named Will, pop culture references for the name Will and nicknames & variations - visit Nameberry or Wikipedia.Similar to Will
We've found the following names that sound similar to Will, sorted by popularity.
Willie / Wiley / Wylie / Wally / Willy / Wali / Wilho / Wael / Wil / Willow /Name statistics
Most parents-to-be know if they want a popular or unique name, and with these charts and data tables you can easily get a better
understanding of how popular or unique this name is.
With a quick glance you can easily tell if this name is increasing or declining in popularity - But note that its current popularity can actually
differ a lot from state to state.
Chart position per year (visualized)
Chart position per state (visualized)
Chart position per year (table view)
| Year | Rank |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 1207 |
| 2024 | 1256 |
| 2023 | 1168 |
| 2022 | 1150 |
| 2021 | 1075 |
| 2020 | 961 |
| 2019 | 1047 |
| 2018 | 918 |
| 2017 | 912 |
| 2016 | 834 |
| 2015 | 851 |
| 2014 | 774 |
| 2013 | 745 |
| 2012 | 670 |
| 2011 | 677 |
| 2010 | 610 |
| 2009 | 573 |
| 2008 | 586 |
| 2007 | 567 |
| 2006 | 528 |
| 2005 | 488 |
| 2004 | 526 |
| 2003 | 541 |
| 2002 | 555 |
| 2001 | 554 |
| 2000 | 504 |
| 1999 | 508 |
| 1998 | 577 |
| 1997 | 649 |
| 1996 | 625 |
| 1995 | 662 |
| 1994 | 673 |
| 1993 | 631 |
| 1992 | 684 |
| 1991 | 615 |
| 1990 | 604 |
| 1989 | 618 |
| 1988 | 622 |
| 1987 | 604 |
| 1986 | 638 |
| 1985 | 672 |
| 1984 | 625 |
| 1983 | 577 |
| 1982 | 539 |
| 1981 | 571 |
| 1980 | 524 |
| 1979 | 536 |
| 1978 | 560 |
| 1977 | 571 |
| 1976 | 557 |
| 1975 | 546 |
| 1974 | 524 |
| 1973 | 562 |
| 1972 | 600 |
| 1971 | 578 |
| 1970 | 537 |
| 1969 | 568 |
| 1968 | 534 |
| 1967 | 574 |
| 1966 | 539 |
| 1965 | 553 |
| 1964 | 505 |
| 1963 | 528 |
| 1962 | 554 |
| 1961 | 538 |
| 1960 | 541 |
| 1959 | 556 |
| 1958 | 563 |
| 1957 | 528 |
| 1956 | 533 |
| 1955 | 572 |
| 1954 | 529 |
| 1953 | 496 |
| 1952 | 463 |
| 1951 | 470 |
| 1950 | 445 |
| 1949 | 451 |
| 1948 | 431 |
| 1947 | 456 |
| 1946 | 433 |
| 1945 | 419 |
| 1944 | 383 |
| 1943 | 423 |
| 1942 | 402 |
| 1941 | 378 |
| 1940 | 395 |
| 1939 | 360 |
| 1938 | 350 |
| 1937 | 345 |
| 1936 | 358 |
| 1935 | 305 |
| 1934 | 364 |
| 1933 | 348 |
| 1932 | 338 |
| 1931 | 352 |
| 1930 | 345 |
| 1929 | 334 |
| 1928 | 312 |
| 1927 | 325 |
| 1926 | 304 |
| 1925 | 299 |
| 1924 | 297 |
| 1923 | 286 |
| 1922 | 296 |
| 1921 | 284 |
| 1920 | 283 |
| 1919 | 269 |
| 1918 | 277 |
| 1917 | 273 |
| 1916 | 260 |
| 1915 | 250 |
| 1914 | 233 |
| 1913 | 215 |
| 1912 | 204 |
| 1911 | 134 |
| 1910 | 105 |
Chart position per state (table view)
| State | Rank |
|---|---|
| Utah | 407 |
| Iowa | 567 |
| Massachusetts | 784 |
| Pennsylvania | 787 |
| Colorado | 843 |
| Wisconsin | 882 |
| Washington | 893 |
| Ohio | 935 |
| Indiana | 1070 |
| Illinois | 1129 |
| Tennessee | 1181 |
| California | 1193 |
| Florida | 1348 |
| Georgia | 1543 |
| Texas | 1752 |
Even more about Will
These are some of the common questions you may want to have answered to know if this is the perfect name for your baby.
Is Will a common or unique name?
By analyzing the number of births and frequency of this name we've determined that it's currently a very unique male name.What is the number of syllables for the name Will?
1 syllables. Why is this important? One of the things that makes a baby name sound good and have a nice rythm is the number of syllables - and especially the number of syllables along with the syllable count for your last name. A simple rule is to avoid having the same number of syllables in your first, middle and last name.Pronunciation
WIL · /wɪl/
Around the world
No traditional forms in other languages — this name was created in America in our own time.
Spellings and nicknames
- William — The full name Will shortens; a separate established name.
- Bill — The other traditional short form of William.
Famous bearers
- Will Smith — Actor and rapper; born Willard Carroll Smith II and known throughout his career by the short form Will (b. 1968) Contemporary
- Will Rogers — Cherokee humorist, actor and syndicated columnist; born William Penn Rogers (1879–1935) Historical
Style
Short formClassicNickname name
Why parents choose it
Will is the friendly face of William — parents choose it when they want the classic without the formality, and plan to call him Will from day one.
Worth knowing
- As a common English word it blends into sentences, and many will assume the birth certificate says William.
