Willy
How to say it: WIL-ee · /ˈwili/
English diminutive of William meaning 'resolute protector' - cheerful retro nickname, sometimes standalone.
Willy was the 1,045th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 27 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 1990s, its births are down about 48% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #1,260 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #1,045 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 27 |
| Share of births | 1 in 19,053 |
| Peak decade | 1990s |
| Change over 10 years | −48% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #1,260 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,664 among boys’ names, 10 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Willy peaked in the 1990s.
What goes with it
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Willy is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Swedish.
In France: #1,664 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Willy
- Willy Brandt (1913–1992)German politician (SPD), chancellor of West Germany (1969–1974) and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
- Willy Caballero (born 1981)Argentine association football player
- Willy Sagnol (born 1977)French football manager
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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