How Many People Are Named Willis?
Complete statistics for the name Willis: rarity score, gender breakdown, age distribution, historical popularity, worldwide data, meaning and origin.
Willis is an old English name meaning 'son of Will,' rooted in the Germanic name William. About 16,634 people named Willis are living in the US today, making it genuinely rare at 1 in 19,839 Americans. The striking thing? The average Willis you'd meet is likely in their late 80s.
📖 Meaning & Origin
Life path number 3 is traditionally associated with creativity, self-expression, and social charm. People connected to the number 3 are thought to bring optimism and energy to those around them.
🌍 Worldwide Usage
⚥ Gender Distribution
📊 Births by Age Group
Avg Cohort Age: 88All 52,939 recorded US births for this name, grouped by the age those individuals would be today. Not adjusted for survival, so the number living today is lower (see the living estimate above).
📈 Popularity Over Time
Peak: 1924Annual US births from SSA records · Trend: Slowly declining
🏆 Name Scorecard
Scores 0–100 based on statistical analysis of US and worldwide name frequency
📜 Willis Through the Generations
Willis tells a very clear generational story. It peaked way back in 1924, when 1,276 babies were given the name in a single year, and it's been slowly declining ever since. Of the 52,939 births recorded all time, only 16,634 people named Willis are estimated to be alive today, which reflects just how far back most of that history goes. The age numbers say it all: a massive 85% of living Willises are over 60, and the average age sits at 88. Only 1,999 are under 30, compared to 44,928 in that over-60 group. That's not just skewing older, it's an overwhelmingly older-generation name. Willis isn't dying out dramatically fast, but with so few young people carrying it forward, it's genuinely fading. It's a name with deep American roots that belongs mostly to another era now.
📍 State Distribution (Top 10)
⭐ Famous People Named Willis
Willis is a masculine given name which may refer to the following people:…
Full list on Wikipedia →🌿 Related Names by Origin
Other names sharing Willis's Old English roots
📄 About the Name Willis
How Many People Have the Name Willis?
Based on Social Security Administration birth records and age-adjusted survival modeling, approximately 125,122 people in the United States currently share the name Willis. That works out to roughly 1 in every 2,649 Americans, placing it in the Uncommon category.
Is Willis a Common or Rare Name?
Willis is classified as Uncommon. The rarity scale runs from Very Common (shared by millions) through Common, Uncommon, Rare, and Very Rare. Understanding where a name sits helps parents gauge uniqueness, genealogists narrow down records, and individuals settle debates about their own name's distinctiveness.
What Does the Name Willis Mean?
Willis means "Son of Will, resolute protector" and comes from Old English origins. The name carries a life-path numerology number of 3.
Gender Breakdown
Of all recorded bearers of Willis in SSA data, approximately 99% are male and 1% are female.
When Was Willis Most Popular?
The name Willis reached peak popularity in 1924, with 1,276 babies registered that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How Is This Data Calculated?
All figures are statistical estimates, not exact government headcounts. The underlying data comes from the SSA National Baby Names dataset. Full methodology is explained on the methodology page.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How many people are named Willis?
Approximately 125,122 people named Willis live in the United States today. All-time US births on record total 125,122. That works out to roughly 1 in 2,649 Americans.
Is Willis a rare name?
Willis is classified as Uncommon in the United States. Approximately 1 in every 2,649 Americans has this name.
What does the name Willis mean?
Willis means "Son of Will, resolute protector" and comes from Old English origins.
Is Willis more male or female?
Based on SSA records, 99% of people named Willis are male and 1% are female.
When was Willis most popular?
Willis peaked in 1924 with 1,276 births that year. Current trend: Slowly declining.
How accurate are these statistics?
All figures are statistical estimates based on SSA birth records and age-adjusted modeling. See the methodology page for full details.