Willow
Girl name · #44 in 2025 · Uniqueness 37/100
In 2025, 4,763 baby girls were named Willow, placing it at #44 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #111, so the name has been rising over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 378 girls born in 2025 was named Willow.
The 135-year story
Willow first appears in the Social Security records in 1890, when 5 girls received the name. Its peak came in 2021, when 5,195 girls were named Willow — good for #39 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.
Babies named Willow per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Willow against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Willow in class?
Willow scores 37 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 Willow is most common
Geography matters for names, and Willow is no exception. In 2025 the states with the most Willows were TX (273), FL (249), CA (244), OH (229), NY (209). Raw counts naturally favor populous states, but the spread still hints at where the name is part of the local naming culture.
Names like Willow
Statistically, parents drawn to Willow tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Harlow, Emilia, Eloise, Delilah, and Stella.
HarlowEmiliaEloiseDelilahStellaLeilaniNovaMila
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Willow | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,763 | #44 |
| 2024 | 4,672 | #41 |
| 2023 | 4,765 | #41 |
| 2022 | 5,072 | #37 |
| 2021 | 5,195 | #39 |
| 2020 | 4,401 | #48 |
| 2019 | 4,609 | #45 |
| 2018 | 3,933 | #60 |
| 2017 | 3,569 | #80 |
| 2016 | 3,125 | #96 |
| 2015 | 2,811 | #111 |
| 2014 | 2,410 | #136 |
| 2013 | 2,079 | #155 |
| 2012 | 1,839 | #171 |
| 2011 | 1,575 | #199 |
| 2010 | 1,122 | #288 |
| 2009 | 1,054 | #312 |
| 2008 | 797 | #405 |
| 2007 | 771 | #425 |
| 2006 | 578 | #523 |
| 2005 | 542 | #532 |
| 2004 | 519 | #548 |
| 2003 | 537 | #525 |
| 2002 | 546 | #504 |
| 2001 | 379 | #664 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Willow a popular girl name?
Willow ranked #44 among girls in 2025 with 4,763 babies given the name — firmly in the top 100, so yes, it’s a popular choice. Ten years earlier it ranked #111.
When was the name Willow most popular?
Willow peaked in 2021, when 5,195 American girls received the name (ranked #39 that year). Since 2021 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Willow?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 378 newborn American girls was named Willow. It scores 37/100 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.