Willa
Girl name · #422 in 2025 · Uniqueness 58/100
In 2025, 742 baby girls were named Willa, placing it at #422 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #480, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 2,426 girls born in 2025 was named Willa.
Babies named Willa per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Willa first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 12 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2019, when 889 girls were named Willa — good for #356 that year. Today's parents encounter it on its way down the popularity curve, which for many parents is exactly the appeal. 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 Willa against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Willa in class?
Willa scores 58 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "distinctive" band. That middle band is the sweet spot many parents hunt for: recognizable without being everywhere.
Where Willa is most common
Geography matters for names, and Willa is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Willas were CA (56), NY (38), CO (36), MN (33), TX (31). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Willa
Statistically, parents drawn to Willa tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Camilla, Briella, Ariella, Kamila, and Arabella.
CamillaBriellaAriellaKamilaArabellaKamillaCallaLeyla
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Willa | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 742 | #422 |
| 2024 | 733 | #423 |
| 2023 | 721 | #429 |
| 2022 | 791 | #395 |
| 2021 | 887 | #351 |
| 2020 | 887 | #349 |
| 2019 | 889 | #356 |
| 2018 | 813 | #383 |
| 2017 | 699 | #453 |
| 2016 | 689 | #461 |
| 2015 | 675 | #480 |
| 2014 | 562 | #551 |
| 2013 | 406 | #697 |
| 2012 | 389 | #716 |
| 2011 | 261 | #981 |
| 2010 | 269 | #951 |
| 2009 | 252 | #1032 |
| 2008 | 247 | #1057 |
| 2007 | 201 | #1233 |
| 2006 | 116 | #1788 |
| 2005 | 121 | #1645 |
| 2004 | 99 | #1895 |
| 2003 | 96 | #1896 |
| 2002 | 97 | #1844 |
| 2001 | 59 | #2571 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Willa a popular girl name?
Willa ranked #422 among girls in 2025 with 742 babies given the name — inside the top 500: established but not ubiquitous. Ten years earlier it ranked #480.
When was the name Willa most popular?
Willa peaked in 2019, when 889 American girls received the name (ranked #356 that year). Since 2019 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Willa?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 2,426 newborn American girls was named Willa. It scores 58/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "distinctive".
Data source: U.S. Social Security Administration name statistics, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect Social Security card applications; names with fewer than 5 occurrences in a state-year are suppressed by the SSA.