Names That Mean Will

The biblical husband of the queen of Sheba; an unusual name with an interesting sound, rhyming with lanai.

Croatian short form of Josip (Joseph) properly spelled Joško. This would make a fun alternative nickname for Joseph or even Joshua outside Croatia, too.

This spelling pares Will down to the bare minimum — and why not? It is also a Welsh diminutive of William / Wiliam / Gwilym.

Made most familiar in English-speaking countries by prize-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Chimamanda has a wonderful meaning and can be shortened to Chima or the spunky Chi. In 2022, it entered the UK Top 1000 for the first time, and has been climbing ever since. A recent year saw it rank in at #547, when it was given to 70 girls.

This classic, handsome Arabic name — cognate of the Hebrew Ishmael — was chosen by Tan and Rob France for their son born in 2021. Ismail is the preferred spelling in England, Germany, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Turkey, while Ismael ranks higher in countries with native Spanish speakers, including the US.

Short and strong multicultural option for a son. Nev Schulman (born Yaniv) is the creator of the MTV series Catfish.

Coined by Shakespeare for the main antagonist in his comedy Twelfth Night, the unfortunate Malvolio’s name literally means "ill will".

The Social Security Lists show Willodean and all its variant spellings to have been used throughout the 1920s and 30s especially in Southern states. There are a few theories on its origins (an invented name created to honor William/Willard and a a female name ending in "-dine", or it may be an Anglicization of a Native American name). Either way, it has a willowy sweetness that deserves a comeback.

Quirky form of Ishmael found in Nordic countries.

Names with the del element, such as Adeline, Adelaide, Adele, and Della, are currently en vogue, but old-fashioned Odella didn't get the memo.

Ethiopian name that would be difficult here.

Itta is a cute old-fashioned name that arose parallelly as a nickname for Yehudit, used among Ashkenazi Jews, and a variation of Ita, an Irish name.

Most modern parents outside Israel would prefer Aaron.

Vilgot may seem like an ancient Germanic name, but it's only been around since the end of the 19th century. It's most famous bearer is the late Vilgot Sjöman, a famed Swedish film director and writer.

Activist and Māori elder Dame Whina (pronounced FEE-nah) Cooper was born Hōhepine (Josephine), but Whina may also derive from the Māori name Āwhina, meaning "help, support".

This strong and commanding Russian name is pronounced ah-KEEM.

Cornish form of William

Unusual Italian name for boys that relates both to the vividly stylish Viv names such as Vivienne and Viveca, and to the Italian musician Vivaldi.

This rare name is possibly a Romani version of William, or may derive from Old English elements meaning "wife" or "woman" and "land".