Willis

Willis is a boy's name of English origin meaning “wilderness.” In 2024 it was given to 49 boys in the United States.

Willis at a glance

Gender
Boy name
Origin
English & American
Meaning
“wilderness”
Pronunciation
/ˈwɪlɪs/

About the name Willis

Willis belongs to the English & American tradition. Its meaning — “wilderness” — is the sense carried by its English roots, and it is the meaning we verified against published sources for this page.

In the United States, Willis first appears in Social Security records in 1880. It climbed to its best-ever rank of #86 in 1880, and in 2024 49 babies received the name — 52,283 in total since 1880. Those are the official counts, not estimates.

Willis in US records

First recorded (US)
1880
Best US rank
#86 in 1880
Peak year
1924
Babies named Willis in 2024
49
Total since 1880
52,283

Willis in England & Wales records

First recorded (since 1996)
1996
Best rank
#1152 in 2012
Babies named Willis in 2025
4
Total since 1996
249

Similar names

More names from the English & American shelf:

Frequently asked questions

What does the name Willis mean?

Willis means “wilderness” in its English roots. We check every meaning against published sources before it appears here.

Is Willis a boy or girl name?

Willis is a boy name. In 2024, 49 babies received the name in the US.

What origin is the name Willis?

Willis comes from the English & American tradition.

How popular is the name Willis?

Willis first appears in US records in 1880. Its best-ever ranking was #86 in 1880, and 49 babies were given the name in 2024.

How do you pronounce Willis?

Willis is pronounced /ˈwɪlɪs/ (IPA).

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Meaning and origin for this page were checked against this source. US popularity figures are from the Social Security Administration's public baby-names data. England & Wales figures are from the Office for National Statistics. If you spot an error, write to [email protected] — accuracy is the whole point of this site, and corrections are made fast.