Willa

#422 for girls in 2025, 742 births · Last seen for boys in 1937 at #3,175
Given to girls 99.9% of the time

Showing
Show data for
Peak · girls
1932 · 515 births
Debut · girls
12 births
In top 100 · girls
never
of 146 years
Total births · girls
32,824
since 1880

Willa over time

girls

Rank among girls' names. Willa has never cracked the top 200 here.

#1#10#100#1,000rank188019001920194019601980200020201927peak #273, 1932girls
Hover or use arrow keys to read values by year; click or press Enter to open that year.

Gaps mean fewer than 5 babies received the name that year, so the SSA doesn't publish it.

Show data table
Yeargirlsboys
rankbirthsrankbirths
2025#422742
2024#423733
2023#429721
2022#395791
2021#351887
2020#349887
2019#356889
2018#383813
2017#453699
2016#461689
2015#480675
2014#551562
2013#697406
2012#716389
2011#981261
2010#951269
2009#1,032252
2008#1,057247
2007#1,233201
2006#1,788116
2005#1,645121
2004#1,89599
2003#1,89696
2002#1,84497
2001#2,57159
2000#2,63256
1999#2,30764
1998#2,84646
1997#3,44833
1996#3,30235
1995#2,55249
1994#2,58548
1993#2,88241
1992#3,50331
1991#3,54030
1990#3,81327
1989#3,25332
1988#3,09532
1987#3,62424
1986#3,05430
1985#3,51724
1984#2,51537
1983#3,43123
1982#3,17227
1981#2,92830
1980#3,41124
1979#2,62134
1978#2,62932
1977#2,90927
1976#3,00224
1975#2,68028
1974#2,68327
1973#2,50629
1972#2,22234
1971#1,82848
1970#1,78150
1969#1,87144
1968#1,85541
1967#1,23974
1966#1,23276
1965#1,08992
1964#1,032109
1963#1,09998
1962#911135
1961#918138
1960#851149
1959#879139
1958#783163
1957#767169
1956#703185
1955#599237
1954#603226
1953#583229
1952#508276
1951#546238
1950#506256
1949#469293
1948#530244
1947#471303
1946#447300
1945#379344
1944#360371
1943#379364
1942#338421
1941#331400
1940#329375
1939#320375
1938#329368
1937#308405#3,1756
1936#281454
1935#297414
1934#278486
1933#280462#3,2686
1932#273515#3,7765
1931#300450
1930#291512
1929#294494#3,2477
1928#299500
1927#277566
1926#287536
1925#295521
1924#307471
1923#301457
1922#318416
1921#326407
1920#317424
1919#324382
1918#311425
1917#341336
1916#348316
1915#346292
1914#332251
1913#334208
1912#344180
1911#329145
1910#340134
1909#323123
1908#36199
1907#338106
1906#33997
1905#34992
1904#34291
1903#35579
1902#38964
1901#39755
1900#36984
1899#37161
1898#39660
1897#37958
1896#35567
1895#38453
1894#42243
1893#38748
1892#37351
1891#42335
1890#35851
1889#38140
1888#38739
1887#39031
1886#38731
1885#41325
1884#52016
1883#42320
1882#47515
1881#53910
1880#49212
First appearance
1880

In the first year the SSA published name data, Willa was already there! It came in at #492, and was given to 12 baby girls.


Quietest stretch: 1880–1882, when fewer than 16 girls a year got the name.

Where Willa is popular in 1927

  • Rank in state
  • Top 10
  • 11–50
  • 51–100
  • 101–500
  • 501+
  • Not published
Alaska: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedAKMaine: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedMEVermont: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedVTNew Hampshire: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedNHWashington: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedWAIdaho: #145 for girls · 6 births · 1 in 576 girlsIDMontana: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedMTNorth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedNDMinnesota: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedMNIllinois: #286 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 2,687 girlsILWisconsin: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedWIMichigan: #330 for girls · 11 births · 1 in 3,807 girlsMINew York: #549 for girls · 9 births · 1 in 11,200 girlsNYMassachusetts: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedMARhode Island: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedRIOregon: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedORNevada: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedNVWyoming: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedWYSouth Dakota: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedSDIowa: #218 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 1,638 girlsIAIndiana: #212 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,639 girlsINOhio: #252 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 2,291 girlsOHPennsylvania: #328 for girls · 20 births · 1 in 4,594 girlsPANew Jersey: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedNJConnecticut: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedCTCalifornia: #414 for girls · 10 births · 1 in 3,678 girlsCAUtah: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedUTColorado: #246 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 1,690 girlsCONebraska: #164 for girls · 12 births · 1 in 946 girlsNEMissouri: #139 for girls · 45 births · 1 in 671 girlsMOKentucky: #210 for girls · 27 births · 1 in 1,087 girlsKYWest Virginia: #193 for girls · 19 births · 1 in 1,072 girlsWVVirginia: #420 for girls · 5 births · 1 in 5,194 girlsVAMaryland: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedMDDelaware: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedDEArizona: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedAZNew Mexico: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedNMKansas: #145 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 684 girlsKSArkansas: #195 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 881 girlsARTennessee: #207 for girls · 22 births · 1 in 1,270 girlsTNNorth Carolina: #203 for girls · 32 births · 1 in 1,224 girlsNCSouth Carolina: #197 for girls · 18 births · 1 in 1,215 girlsSCDistrict of Columbia: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedDCOklahoma: #100 for girls · 59 births · 1 in 421 girlsOKLouisiana: #263 for girls · 16 births · 1 in 1,482 girlsLAMississippi: #208 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,126 girlsMSAlabama: #235 for girls · 21 births · 1 in 1,572 girlsALGeorgia: #217 for girls · 23 births · 1 in 1,421 girlsGAHawaii: fewer than 5 girls named Willa, so not publishedHITexas: #397 for girls · 24 births · 1 in 2,524 girlsTXFlorida: #224 for girls · 14 births · 1 in 1,133 girlsFL

Hover or tap a state for its numbers.

Top states · girls
  1. Oklahoma#100 · 1 in 421
  2. Missouri#139 · 1 in 671
  3. Idaho#145 · 1 in 576
  4. Kansas#145 · 1 in 684
  5. Nebraska#164 · 1 in 946

Best ever in a state: #63 in Nebraska, 2019.

Show every state
StateRankBirthsShare
Oklahoma#100591 in 421
Missouri#139451 in 671
Idaho#14561 in 576
Kansas#145221 in 684
Nebraska#164121 in 946
West Virginia#193191 in 1,072
Arkansas#195231 in 881
South Carolina#197181 in 1,215
North Carolina#203321 in 1,224
Tennessee#207221 in 1,270
Mississippi#208211 in 1,126
Kentucky#210271 in 1,087
Indiana#212161 in 1,639
Georgia#217231 in 1,421
Iowa#218121 in 1,638
Florida#224141 in 1,133
Alabama#235211 in 1,572
Colorado#24651 in 1,690
Ohio#252241 in 2,291
Louisiana#263161 in 1,482
Illinois#286221 in 2,687
Pennsylvania#328201 in 4,594
Michigan#330111 in 3,807
Texas#397241 in 2,524
California#414101 in 3,678
Virginia#42051 in 5,194
New York#54991 in 11,200
Alaska
Arizona
Connecticut
Delaware
District of Columbia
Hawaii
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Minnesota
Montana
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
North Dakota
Oregon
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Utah
Vermont
Washington
Wisconsin
Wyoming

Ranks are within each state; “1 in N” is out of the girls born there that year. The SSA only publishes a name in a state when 5 or more babies of one sex got it.

See more about Willa
Momentum · girls
Holding steady
  • 1 spot since 2024 (#423#422)
  • 73 spots since 2020 (#349#422)
  • 58 spots since 2015 (#480#422)
  • Biggest jump: 265 spots in 2012 (#981#716)
  • Biggest drop: 188 spots in 1963 (#911#1,099)
Rise & fade · girls
52 yrs to peak
  • Debuted 1880
  • Peaked 1932 at #273 (515 births)
  • Births halved by 1948, 16 yrs later
Top of the charts · girls
Top 1,000 for 99 yrs
  • Top 10: never
  • Top 100: never
  • Top 1,000: 99 yrs · run 1880–1962
Share of babies · girls
1 in 1,822
  • Highest: 1 in 1,822 girls born in 2020 were named Willa (0.05%)
  • Latest: 1 in 2,166 girls born in 2025 (0.05%)
  • Its best rank, #273 in 1932, was only 1 in 2,072 (0.05%) — a smaller share of a much bigger birth year
Era · girls
The 2010s
  • 17.2% of all girls named Willa (5,652) were born in this decade
Show by decade
DecadeBirthsBest rankAvg rank
1880s239#381 (1889)#441
1890s527#355 (1896)#385
1900s890#323 (1909)#356
1910s2,669#311 (1918)#335
1920s4,792#277 (1927)#302
1930s4,441#273 (1932)#296
1940s3,415#329 (1940)#403
1950s2,118#506 (1950)#648
1960s956#851 (1960)#1,210
1970s333#1,781 (1970)#2,486
1980s283#2,515 (1984)#3,200
1990s404#2,307 (1999)#3,078
2000s1,344#1,032 (2009)#1,759
2010s5,652#356 (2019)#603
2020s4,761#349 (2020)#395

All figures count published births only (names given to at least 5 girls in a year). Registrations before 1937 are incomplete, so early shares and totals run low.

Willa in 1927

girls
#277
566 births · 1 in 2,107 girls

Top girls' names in 1927

  1. #1Mary70,642
  2. #2Dorothy35,993
  3. #3Betty35,424
  4. #4Helen25,316
  5. #5Margaret21,964
  6. #6Ruth19,412
  7. #7Doris16,512
  8. #8Virginia15,734
  9. #9Shirley13,314
  10. #10Barbara13,161
  11. #277Willa566
More about 1927

girls

1,192,431 girls got a published name in 1927; 1 in 2,107 of them was named Willa, which outranked 95.1% of the 5,602 girls' names that year. The ten most popular names covered 22.4% of girls (24.6% in 1880, 7.0% in 2025).

Ranked beside Willa
  1. #274Clarice581
  2. #275Isabelle569
  3. #276Annabelle567
  4. #277Willa566
  5. #277Ramona566
  6. #279Francis565
  7. #279Jimmie565
  8. #281Alta564

Tied names share a rank, as in SSA's lists.

Biggest movers since 1926
Risers
  1. 2,708Charmaine#3,564#856
  2. 1,519Kazuko#2,474#955
  3. 1,152Valencia#2,076#924
  4. 551Cherie#1,414#863
  5. 452Lita#1,148#696
Fallers
  1. 349Janell#748#1,097
  2. 330Sabina#931#1,261
  3. 319Clarine#942#1,261
  4. 298Shirlie#980#1,278
  5. 291Delilah#836#1,127

Among names in the top 1,000 of either year.

See the top 100 for 1927