Willa Girl
Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WIL-uh //ˈwɪlə//
Origin: German; English
Meaning: German: resolute protector; English: will
Historical & Cultural Background
The name Willa has its roots in the Germanic language, derived from the Old High German name "Willa," which means "desire" or "will." This name is a feminine form of the masculine name "Wilhelm," which combines the elements "wil" (will) and "helm" (helmet or protection). The transition of Willa into English occurred through the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, where it was introduced into England alongside other Germanic names, becoming more widely used in the Middle Ages.
Historically, the name Willa has been associated with various notable figures, including Willa of Tuscany, a powerful noblewoman in the 10th century who played a significant role in the politics of her time. Additionally, the name appears in literary contexts, such as in the works of authors like Willa Cather, an influential American novelist of the early 20th century, who explored themes of pioneer life and the American experience.
The name has also been linked to various saints and religious figures, contributing to its historical significance. Culturally, Willa carries connotations of strength and determination, reflecting the meanings of its linguistic roots.
The name has been embraced in various forms and adaptations across cultures, with diminutives such as "Willie" or "Willy" emerging in different contexts. Its enduring presence in literature and history underscores its resonance with themes of willfulness and empowerment, making it a name of notable significance throughout the centuries.
Famous people named Willa
In this section, you will find notable people named Willa. 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 Willa who have made a significant impact on popular culture.
We also feature individuals named Willa 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.
Willa Cather is an author best known for My Ántonia, O Pioneers!, and The Song of the Lark.
Willa Ford is a singer and actress best known for her single I Wanna Be Bad and her role in the film Friday Night Lights.
Fictional characters named Willa
The following list of fictional characters named Willa 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.
Willa is a fictional character from the novel Willa Cather's My Ántonia. She is a representation of the pioneering spirit and resilience of women in the American frontier.
Sibling suggestions
If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Willa, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.
Similar names
Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Willa. 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.
U.S. Historical Usage
The name Willa was first seen in the United States in 1880.
Willa has ranked as high as #642 nationally, which occurred in 2019, and has been most popular in North Carolina, Missouri, California, Georgia, and Kentucky.
In the past 5 years the name Willa has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.
Popularity Over Time (National)
The name Willa 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 Willa was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.
Top States for Willa (2024)
We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.
| State | Births | Share |
|---|---|---|
| CA | 46 | |
| TX | 45 | |
| OH | 36 | |
| MN | 35 | |
| CO | 28 | |
| NC | 28 | |
| TN | 27 | |
| NY | 25 | |
| WI | 25 | |
| FL | 24 | |
| GA | 23 | |
| MO | 20 | |
| KY | 19 | |
| WA | 18 | |
| PA | 18 |
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 Willa.
| Year | Births |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 729 |
| 2023 | 721 |
| 2022 | 791 |
| 2021 | 887 |
| 2020 | 886 |
| 2019 | 889 |
| 2018 | 813 |
| 2017 | 699 |
| 2016 | 689 |
| 2015 | 675 |
| 2014 | 562 |
| 2013 | 406 |
| 2012 | 389 |
| 2011 | 261 |
| 2010 | 269 |
| 2009 | 252 |
| 2008 | 247 |
| 2007 | 201 |
| 2006 | 116 |
| 2005 | 121 |
| 2004 | 99 |
| 2003 | 96 |
| 2002 | 97 |
| 2001 | 59 |
| 2000 | 56 |
| 1999 | 64 |
| 1998 | 46 |
| 1997 | 33 |
| 1996 | 35 |
| 1995 | 49 |
| 1994 | 48 |
| 1993 | 41 |
| 1992 | 31 |
| 1991 | 30 |
| 1990 | 27 |
| 1989 | 32 |
| 1988 | 32 |
| 1987 | 24 |
| 1986 | 30 |
| 1985 | 24 |
| 1984 | 37 |
| 1983 | 23 |
| 1982 | 27 |
| 1981 | 30 |
| 1980 | 24 |
| 1979 | 34 |
| 1978 | 32 |
| 1977 | 27 |
| 1976 | 24 |
| 1975 | 28 |
| 1974 | 27 |
| 1973 | 29 |
| 1972 | 34 |
| 1971 | 48 |
| 1970 | 50 |
| 1969 | 44 |
| 1968 | 41 |
| 1967 | 74 |
| 1966 | 76 |
| 1965 | 92 |
| 1964 | 109 |
| 1963 | 98 |
| 1962 | 135 |
| 1961 | 138 |
| 1960 | 149 |
| 1959 | 139 |
| 1958 | 163 |
| 1957 | 169 |
| 1956 | 185 |
| 1955 | 237 |
| 1954 | 226 |
| 1953 | 229 |
| 1952 | 276 |
| 1951 | 238 |
| 1950 | 256 |
| 1949 | 293 |
| 1948 | 244 |
| 1947 | 303 |
| 1946 | 300 |
| 1945 | 344 |
| 1944 | 371 |
| 1943 | 364 |
| 1942 | 421 |
| 1941 | 400 |
| 1940 | 375 |
| 1939 | 375 |
| 1938 | 368 |
| 1937 | 405 |
| 1936 | 454 |
| 1935 | 414 |
| 1934 | 486 |
| 1933 | 462 |
| 1932 | 515 |
| 1931 | 450 |
| 1930 | 512 |
| 1929 | 494 |
| 1928 | 500 |
| 1927 | 566 |
| 1926 | 536 |
| 1925 | 521 |
| 1924 | 471 |
| 1923 | 457 |
| 1922 | 416 |
| 1921 | 407 |
| 1920 | 424 |
| 1919 | 382 |
| 1918 | 425 |
| 1917 | 336 |
| 1916 | 316 |
| 1915 | 292 |
| 1914 | 251 |
| 1913 | 208 |
| 1912 | 180 |
| 1911 | 145 |
| 1910 | 134 |
| 1909 | 123 |
| 1908 | 99 |
| 1907 | 106 |
| 1906 | 97 |
| 1905 | 92 |
| 1904 | 91 |
| 1903 | 79 |
| 1902 | 64 |
| 1901 | 55 |
| 1900 | 84 |
| 1899 | 61 |
| 1898 | 60 |
| 1897 | 58 |
| 1896 | 67 |
| 1895 | 53 |
| 1894 | 43 |
| 1893 | 48 |
| 1892 | 51 |
| 1891 | 35 |
| 1890 | 51 |
| 1889 | 40 |
| 1888 | 39 |
| 1887 | 31 |
| 1886 | 31 |
| 1885 | 25 |
| 1884 | 16 |
| 1883 | 20 |
| 1882 | 15 |
| 1881 | 10 |
| 1880 | 12 |