Will Boy

Popularity: #768 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WIL /wɪl/

Origin: English; Germanic

Meaning: Resolute protector; strong-willed

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Will is derived from the Old Germanic name Wilhelm, which is composed of the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protection." This name evolved through various linguistic stages, first appearing in Old High German as "Willihelm." The name was introduced into England by the Normans after the Conquest in 1066, where it was anglicized to William. Over time, the shortened form Will emerged as a diminutive or familiar version of William, gaining its own identity as a standalone name in the English language.

Historically, the name William has been significant, associated with several notable figures, including William the Conqueror, who became King of England in 1066, and William Shakespeare, the renowned playwright and poet of the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The name has also been borne by numerous saints, such as Saint William of York, who lived in the 12th century, and has appeared in various forms across different cultures, including Guillaume in French and Guillermo in Spanish.

The widespread use of the name William in historical texts, including the King James Bible, further solidified its presence in English-speaking regions. Culturally, the name Will has come to symbolize strength and determination, reflecting the meanings of its roots.

It has been associated with leadership and nobility, partly due to its connection to royal figures throughout history. The name's enduring appeal is also supported by its use in literature and popular culture, where characters named Will often embody qualities of bravery and resilience.

The diminutive form Will has been embraced in various contexts, reinforcing its significance as both a personal name and a representation of willpower.

Famous people named Will

In this section, you will find notable people named Will. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named Will who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named Will who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

Will Smith is an actor and producer best known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Men in Black, and Pursuit of Happyness.

Will Ferrell is a comedian and actor best known for Saturday Night Live, Anchorman, and Step Brothers.

Will Arnett is an actor and comedian best known for Arrested Development, BoJack Horseman, and 30 Rock.

Will.i.am is a musician and producer best known for his work with The Black Eyed Peas, as well as for his solo albums and collaborations.

Will Graham is a fictional character best known as the protagonist in the TV series Hannibal and the novel Red Dragon.

Will Smith is a rapper and actor best known for his music career and his role in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

Fictional characters named Will

The following list of fictional characters named Will is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Will Turner is a fictional character from the film series Pirates of the Caribbean. He is a skilled blacksmith and swordsman who becomes a key ally of Captain Jack Sparrow in his adventures.

Will Graham is a fictional character from the novel and TV series Hannibal. He is a gifted criminal profiler who struggles with his empathy and connection to the minds of serial killers.

Will Byers is a fictional character from the TV series Stranger Things. He is a young boy who goes missing, leading his friends and family to uncover supernatural occurrences in their town.

Will Smith is a fictional character from the TV series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. He is a street-smart teenager who moves in with his wealthy relatives, bringing humor and culture clash to their lives.

Will Riker is a fictional character from the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is the first officer of the starship USS Enterprise and is known for his leadership and strategic skills.

Will Scarlet is a fictional character from the Robin Hood legends. He is a member of Robin Hood's band of Merry Men, known for his loyalty and skill with a bow.

Will Ferrell is a fictional character from the film Elf. He is a human raised by elves at the North Pole who travels to New York City to find his biological father.

Will McAvoy is a fictional character from the TV series The Newsroom. He is a news anchor who navigates the challenges of journalism and personal relationships in a rapidly changing media landscape.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Will, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

JamesHenryThomasJackOliverCharlie

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Will. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

BillBenWesSamLukeMaxJakeNate

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Will was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Will has ranked as high as #94 nationally, which occurred in 1888, and has been most popular in Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and California.

In the past 5 years the name Will has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Will is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Will was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Will.

Year Total Births Boy Girl
2025 170 170 0
2024 153 153 0
2023 185 185 0
2022 178 178 0
2021 200 200 0
2020 235 235 0
2019 217 217 0
2018 242 242 0
2017 239 239 0
2016 277 277 0
2015 270 270 0
2014 313 313 0
2013 315 315 0
2012 352 352 0
2011 357 357 0
2010 396 396 0
2009 457 457 0
2008 432 432 0
2007 457 457 0
2006 473 473 0
2005 503 503 0
2004 452 452 0
2003 433 433 0
2002 403 403 0
2001 389 389 0
2000 447 447 0
1999 422 422 0
1998 339 339 0
1997 268 268 0
1996 280 280 0
1995 266 266 0
1994 248 248 0
1993 268 268 0
1992 252 252 0
1991 295 295 0
1990 289 289 0
1989 277 277 0
1988 241 241 0
1987 233 233 0
1986 204 204 0
1985 201 201 0
1984 204 204 0
1983 223 223 0
1982 262 262 0
1981 233 233 0
1980 271 271 0
1979 273 273 0
1978 237 232 5
1977 226 226 0
1976 224 224 0
1975 224 224 0
1974 224 224 0
1973 207 207 0
1972 185 185 0
1971 207 207 0
1970 230 230 0
1969 192 192 0
1968 213 213 0
1967 167 167 0
1966 205 205 0
1965 196 196 0
1964 235 235 0
1963 242 242 0
1962 200 200 0
1961 225 225 0
1960 225 225 0
1959 207 207 0
1958 183 183 0
1957 223 217 6
1956 192 192 0
1955 158 158 0
1954 216 207 9
1953 209 209 0
1952 211 211 0
1951 197 191 6
1950 230 224 6
1949 220 220 0
1948 238 238 0
1947 215 209 6
1946 207 207 0
1945 191 191 0
1944 241 235 6
1943 214 205 9
1942 230 221 9
1941 232 226 6
1940 214 209 5
1939 234 226 8
1938 241 231 10
1937 244 230 14
1936 246 233 13
1935 311 305 6
1934 225 215 10
1933 233 224 9
1932 253 242 11
1931 248 237 11
1930 271 259 12
1929 291 277 14
1928 342 323 19
1927 314 300 14
1926 356 333 23
1925 385 367 18
1924 363 354 9
1923 387 370 17
1922 382 358 24
1921 391 373 18
1920 382 368 14
1919 396 373 23
1918 385 363 22
1917 360 339 21
1916 378 362 16
1915 381 362 19
1914 340 319 21
1913 291 280 11
1912 264 256 8
1911 235 230 5
1910 290 278 12
1909 275 267 8
1908 286 274 12
1907 260 260 0
1906 260 253 7
1905 295 286 9
1904 294 287 7
1903 293 293 0
1902 367 359 8
1901 371 364 7
1900 615 603 12
1899 414 414 0
1898 483 475 8
1897 498 491 7
1896 508 508 0
1895 491 485 6
1894 559 559 0
1893 538 538 0
1892 614 607 7
1891 525 520 5
1890 613 613 0
1889 637 631 6
1888 712 707 5
1887 570 561 9
1886 648 642 6
1885 630 625 5
1884 650 650 0
1883 581 576 5
1882 673 666 7
1881 557 550 7
1880 588 588 0

Top States for Will (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. The table below shows the five states with the highest number of births for this name in the selected year. Use the toggle to expand the list to every state with reported births.

State Births Share
CA 15
14%
UT 14
13%
OH 8
7%
TX 8
7%
PA 7
7%
WA 7
7%
KS 6
6%
WI 6
6%
IN 6
6%
NC 5
5%
CO 5
5%
NY 5
5%
FL 5
5%
IA 5
5%
IL 5
5%