Willis
2025 SSA
Below 5 births
About Willis
A common surname that was popular as a given name in the late 19th and early 20th century, Willis dropped off the US Top 1000 back in the early 90s, just as alternative William diminutive, Liam, began to skyrocket.
Willis for boys#2567 US
Particularly popular among Amish people, Willis is still given to around 60 boys in each recent year.
Willis for girls
A once popular, now more quietly used name for boys, this William diminutive has potential as a "grandpa" style name for girls. With elements of Willa, Willow, and Iris, Willis was occasionally used as a feminine name in the first half of the 20th century.
Pronounced WIL-is.
As of October 2026, Willis ranked #2567 in US births in 2025 SSA, peaked at #86 in 1880.
Popularity & trends
Data table
| Year | US rank · boys | Births · boys | US rank · girls | Births · girls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | #1,841 | 81 | — | 0 |
| 2015 | #1,978 | 74 | — | 0 |
| 2016 | #2,046 | 70 | — | 0 |
| 2017 | #2,530 | 51 | — | 0 |
| 2018 | #2,416 | 55 | — | 0 |
| 2019 | #2,623 | 50 | — | 0 |
| 2020 | #2,234 | 62 | — | 0 |
| 2021 | #2,274 | 62 | — | 0 |
| 2022 | #2,914 | 44 | — | 0 |
| 2023 | #2,341 | 60 | — | 0 |
| 2024 | #2,701 | 49 | — | 0 |
| 2025 | #2,567 | 52 | — | 0 |
Similar names
These 20 names were selected by our users looking for other names like Willis.
Willis on lists
Famous Williss
- Willis Haviland CarrierBoy
American inventor of air conditioning
- Willis Eugene Lamb Jr.Boy
American physicist and Nobel prize winner
- Willis Andrew McGahee IIIBoy
American NFL football player
- Willis Reed Jr.Boy
American basketball player
- Willis Linn JepsonBoy
American botanist
- Willis "Gator" JacksonBoy
American jazz saxophonist
- Willis BoucheyBoy
American character actor
- Bruce WillisBoy
American actor
Willis in pop culture
- Willis DrummandBoy
character on TV's "Diff'rent Strokes" ("Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?")
- Dr. Ethan WillisBoy
character from TV's "Code Black," played by Rob Lowe
- Willis WuBoy
character from 'Interior Chinatown'