Boy · #3,277 in 2026

Willys

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

Willys was a brand name used by Willys–Overland Motors, an American automobile company, founded by John North Willys. It was best known for its design and production of World War II–era military jeeps (MBs), Willys M38 and M38A1 military jeeps as well as civilian versions, and branding the 'jeep' military slang-word into the '(Universal) Jeep' marque.

Current Rank

#3,277

Peak Rank

#2,229 (1924)

Total Babies

103

5-Yr Trend

Stable

1915

First Year

1934

Last Year

1924

Peak Year

#2229

Peak Rank

103

Total Count

Years Active

Meaning & Origin of Willys

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 Willys

Willys first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1915, with 7 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1924, when 14 Willyss were born — ranking #2,229 that year. As of 2026, Willys ranks #3,277 for baby boys with 6 births, with steady use. In total, more than 103 Willyss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1910s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Willys

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

Willies
Wellies
Willows
Woolies
Woollies
Wallies
Willy
Willis
Willie
Wills
Willi
Wils

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Willys

What does the name Willys mean?

How popular is Willys in 2026?

In 2026, Willys ranks #3,277 among boys' names in the U.S., with 6 babies given the name that year.

When was Willys most popular?

Willys reached its peak popularity in 1924, ranking #2,229 that year with 14 babies given the name.

Is Willys a unisex name?

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

What names go well with Willys?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Willys include Fuller, Hersey, Boniface. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Willys

Willys is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1915 and has accumulated 103 births in the dataset. Willys's peak popularity came in 1924 when it ranked #2,229. Use the chart and map above to compare Willys's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

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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.