Girl · #40 in 2026

Willow

Name: Popularity of the name Willow in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Willow, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Willow is a given name used in reference to the willow. It has grown in popularity in English speaking countries along with other names inspired by the natural world. It first entered the top 1,000 names given to American newborn girls in 2000 and was ranked in 37th position for American baby girls in 2022. It was among the top 10 most popular names for girls born in Wales in 2020.

Current Rank

#40

Peak Rank

#37 (2021)

Total Babies

70K

5-Yr Trend

+11%

1890

First Year

2026

Last Year

2021

Peak Year

#37

Peak Rank

70K

Total Count

122

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Willow

What this name means, where it came from, and how it has traveled across cultures.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0). Read more →

The Story of Willow

Willow first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby girl name in 1890, with 5 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 2021, when 5,193 Willows were born — ranking #39 that year. As of 2026, Willow ranks #40 for baby girls with 4,784 births, gradually rising (+11%). In total, more than 70K Willows have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1890s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Willow

Phonetically similar names — useful when Willow is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Wlo
Welo
Willy
Wallow
Willie
Willa
Willi
Willey
Wilo
Wyllie
Wili
Welly

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Willow

What does the name Willow mean?

How popular is Willow in 2026?

In 2026, Willow ranks #40 among girls' names in the U.S., with 4,784 babies given the name that year.

When was Willow most popular?

Willow reached its peak popularity in 2021, ranking #37 that year with 5,193 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Willow most popular?

Willow has historically been most popular in Kentucky, West Virginia, Wyoming. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Willow.

Is Willow a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Willow is primarily a girl's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a boy's name.

What names go well with Willow?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Willow include Agnes, Laurie, Jacqueline. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Willow

Willow is a girl baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1890 and has accumulated 70K births in the dataset. Willow's peak popularity came in 2021 when it ranked #37. Use the chart and map above to compare Willow's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.