Willie
Boy name · #1315 in 2025 · Uniqueness 76/100
Willie is currently the #1315 boy name in the United States — 147 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #774, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 12,245 boys born in 2025 was named Willie.
Babies named Willie per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
The 145-year story
Willie first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 476 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1947, when 7,997 boys were named Willie — good for #42 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. 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 Willie against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Willie in class?
Willie scores 76 out of 100 on our uniqueness scale, which blends current rarity with five-year momentum — putting it in the "rare" band. A high score means genuine rarity — your Willie will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Willie is most common
Geography matters for names, and Willie is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Willies were FL (16), CA (15), TX (11), OH (9), TN (9). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Willie
Statistically, parents drawn to Willie tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Ronnie, Leslie, Freddie, Lonnie, and Donnie.
RonnieLeslieFreddieLonnieDonnieEddieJackieJerome
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Willie | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 147 | #1315 |
| 2024 | 138 | #1364 |
| 2023 | 144 | #1323 |
| 2022 | 176 | #1166 |
| 2021 | 161 | #1200 |
| 2020 | 215 | #992 |
| 2019 | 208 | #1004 |
| 2018 | 228 | #929 |
| 2017 | 285 | #802 |
| 2016 | 294 | #797 |
| 2015 | 307 | #774 |
| 2014 | 331 | #725 |
| 2013 | 332 | #707 |
| 2012 | 369 | #646 |
| 2011 | 390 | #614 |
| 2010 | 388 | #626 |
| 2009 | 401 | #621 |
| 2008 | 460 | #565 |
| 2007 | 470 | #547 |
| 2006 | 507 | #511 |
| 2005 | 481 | #511 |
| 2004 | 492 | #497 |
| 2003 | 559 | #451 |
| 2002 | 569 | #437 |
| 2001 | 608 | #412 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Willie a popular boy name?
Willie ranked #1315 among boys in 2025 with 147 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #774.
When was the name Willie most popular?
Willie peaked in 1947, when 7,997 American boys received the name (ranked #42 that year). Since 1947 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Willie?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 12,245 newborn American boys was named Willie. It scores 76/100 on our uniqueness scale (rarity blended with momentum), which we classify as "rare".
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.