Willy
Boy name · #3960 in 2025 · Uniqueness 88/100
In 2025, 27 baby boys were named Willy, placing it at #3960 in the official national rankings. A decade ago it stood at #3591, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 66,667 boys born in 2025 was named Willy.
The 141-year story
Willy first appears in the Social Security records in 1884, when 5 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1993, when 69 boys were named Willy — good for #1400 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 Willy per year, 1880–2025. Source: SSA.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Willy against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Willy in class?
Willy scores 88 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 Willy will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Willy is most common
State-level data for Willy is sparse in 2025 — the name's footprint is too small for most states to report (the SSA suppresses counts under 5 per state for privacy).
Names like Willy
Statistically, parents drawn to Willy tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Eloy, Fermin, Reilly, Mckay, and Korey.
EloyFerminReillyMckayKoreyTyronJoseyKy
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Willy | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 27 | #3949 |
| 2024 | 24 | #4321 |
| 2023 | 20 | #4886 |
| 2022 | 31 | #3617 |
| 2021 | 30 | #3651 |
| 2020 | 38 | #3025 |
| 2019 | 29 | #3716 |
| 2018 | 39 | #2994 |
| 2017 | 26 | #3993 |
| 2016 | 26 | #3990 |
| 2015 | 30 | #3591 |
| 2014 | 35 | #3154 |
| 2013 | 38 | #2955 |
| 2012 | 44 | #2716 |
| 2011 | 41 | #2852 |
| 2010 | 44 | #2730 |
| 2009 | 48 | #2585 |
| 2008 | 60 | #2207 |
| 2007 | 49 | #2533 |
| 2006 | 47 | #2542 |
| 2005 | 48 | #2399 |
| 2004 | 48 | #2344 |
| 2003 | 49 | #2206 |
| 2002 | 46 | #2249 |
| 2001 | 59 | #1871 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Willy a popular boy name?
Willy ranked #3960 among boys in 2025 with 27 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #3591.
When was the name Willy most popular?
Willy peaked in 1993, when 69 American boys received the name (ranked #1400 that year). Since 1993 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Willy?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 66,667 newborn American boys was named Willy. It scores 88/100 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.