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BabyNames
Boy name#474 of boy names

Willis

Pronounced W IH1 L IH0 S (ARPABET)

  • 2 syllables
  • Peaked 1924
  • 145 years in use
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How popular is Willis?

Willis is a boys' name, and has been in the record since the data starts in 1880. It has been given to 53,105 children — the 474th most common boys' name on record.

Its use has been broadly flat across the past two decades. Its best single year was 1924, when 1,261 children were given it.

05001,0001,5002,00018901920195019802010
1924Boys: 1,261Girls: 15

Characteristics

  • 2 syllables
Phonetic detail
Pronunciations:
W IH1 L IH0 S
Stress pattern:
10
Syllables:
2

Stress digits mark unstressed (0), primary (1) and secondary (2) syllables.

Names like Willis

Same first letter and syllable count, peaking around the same time.

Sibling names for Willis

Names from the same era with a matching rhythm but a different initial.

Frequently asked questions

How popular is the name Willis?
Willis ranks 474th among boys' names in US records, with 53,105 births since 1880. Over the past decade it accounts for 577.
Is Willis a unisex name?
No. Willis is recorded almost entirely as a boys' name; births to the other gender are too few to register as a share.
When was Willis most popular?
1924, when 1,261 children were given the name. It has been in use for 145 years and is still recorded as of 2024.