Girl · Germanic, through English
Willa
Say it: WIL-uh
Meaning
Short form of Wilhelmina, from Germanic wil 'will, desire' and helm 'helmet, protection'.
Likelythe main view, with some doubt.
Used in America since the late 19th century and popular again in recent years.
Its wave through time
A revival, back after decades away
In the United States
- 28,959 babies given this name since 1880
- At its height in 2020, about 1 in 1,800 girls
- 881 babies in 2020
Through the ages
Used by
The family of the name
| German | Wilhelmine |
|---|
Famous bearers
- Willa Cather, American novelist
Names worth a look
Where this comes from
- National census records of the 19th and 20th centuries
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
- United States Social Security birth records, 1880 to today source
Meanings and histories are compiled from the study of names and their languages and checked by a second review.
Meanings and histories are drawn from the study of names and their languages, each with a confidence rating; popularity figures come from official birth records. Name histories are a living field: if you know of a correction, we would be glad to hear it.