W Names I Love

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  1. Walker
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "cloth-walker"
    • Description:

      Walker is both a Waspy surname name—as in the W in George W. Bush—but it also has a gentle ambling quality and a creative connection to such greats as writer Walker Percy and photographer Walker Evans, whose father was also named Walker.
  2. Walker
    • Origin:

      English occupational name
    • Meaning:

      "cloth walker"
    • Description:

      Walker is an outdoorsy, Old Western-style name that leapt into the US Top 100 for boys back in 2022. Now, like a number of occupational names before it (think Sawyer, Palmer, and Parker), Walker is being used for an increasing number of girls.
  3. Wallace
    • Origin:

      Scottish
    • Meaning:

      "foreigner, stranger"
    • Description:

      Wallace is so square could almost be ripe for a turnaround, especially with the hipness imparted by the British Claymation series Wallace & Gromit. And Wally makes an adorable Leave it to Beaver retro-style nickname.
  4. Walsh
    • Walt
      • Origin:

        German, diminutive of Walter
      • Description:

        A straightforward, down-to-earth nickname many Walters, from Whitman to Disney, have chosen to go by.
    • Ward
      • Origin:

        English occupational name
      • Meaning:

        "guard, watchman"
      • Description:

        Until recently Ward was, like Wally, a Cleaver name, but today's parents are seeing it as a cooler nickname for Edward than Eddie, and are also beginning to use it on its own.
    • Warren
      • Origin:

        English from French
      • Meaning:

        "park-keeper"
      • Description:

        Long lingering in limbo, Warren suddenly seems to be on the cusp of revival. One of the oldest recorded English surnames, Warren's popularity in the U.S. dates back to the nineteenth century, and by 1921, reached its peak at Number 24.
    • Watkins
      • Waverly
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "meadow of quivering aspens"
        • Description:

          Waverly, with its literary resonance and lilting three-syllable sound, could well become the next generation's successor to Kimberly. Its upper-crusty surname feel places it among the new stylish English names for girls, successors to Ashley and Whitney.
      • Wednesday
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "Woden's day"
        • Description:

          Made famous by the iconic and macabre character Wednesday Addams, this name has the spooky and Halloween-inspired feel that some parents might be looking for. The character has appeared in various adaptations of The Addams Family over the years, but the 2022 television series starring Jenna Ortega has given the name an unexpected boost in popularity.
      • Wendy
        • Origin:

          English, Celtic, Welsh
        • Meaning:

          "friend or white"
        • Description:

          It is popularly claimed that the name Wendy was invented by Sir James Barrie in 1904 for the big sister character in his play Peter Pan, which was followed by the classic novel in 1911. Barrie supposedly took it from the nickname "fwendy-wendy", that he was called by a young girl acquaintance.
      • Whittaker
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "white field"
        • Description:

          If you discount the connection to the controversial Whittaker Chambers in the days of the Red Scare, Whittaker is a pleasant enough British surname with the preppyish nickname Whit.
      • Wilhelmina
        • Origin:

          German and Dutch, feminine variation of Wilhelm
        • Meaning:

          "resolute protection"
        • Description:

          Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular choice in the 19th century, but out of favor by the 1950s, in the last decade, the number of babies called Wilhelmina has doubled, with 140 girls receiving the name in 2023.
      • William
        • Origin:

          German
        • Meaning:

          "resolute protection"
        • Description:

          William is one of the most enduring of classic names for boys. It's also among the most popular boys' names, as American parents see it as being ideally conservative yet contemporary, and hands-down the most popular baby name beginning with W of all time.
      • Willoughby
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "farm near the willows"
        • Description:

          Willoughby is an energetic last-name-first route to the popular short form Will, livelier than any of the two-syllable options. It could be picked up by parents attracted to the Willow sound for girls.
      • Wilson
        • Origin:

          English
        • Meaning:

          "son of Will"
        • Description:

          Wilson is a substantive presidential choice far less prevalent than Taylor or Tyler, and with the advantage of being a new route to friendly nickname Will. We see Wilson growing in popularity as an alternative to William; and as a patronymic, it would make a conceivable (if possibly confusing) choice for a son of William.
      • Winn
        • Winnie
          • Origin:

            English diminutive of Winifred
          • Meaning:

            "holy peacemaking, gentle friend"
          • Description:

            This pet form of such names as Winifred and Edwina and Gwendolyn has loads of vintage charm, a la Millie and Maisie, with a decidedly winning vibe. And it just got celebrity cred as the baby daughter of Jimmy Fallon.
        • Wolf
          • Origin:

            Animal name or diminutive of Wolfgang, German
          • Meaning:

            " traveling wolf"
          • Description:

            Wolf is a name with a split personality. It can be seen as one of the fierce animal names, like Fox and Bear and Puma, with a touch of the werewolf, or it can be viewed as a quieter, Wolf Blitzer kind of name, fairly common in German (where is pronounced Vulf) and Jewish families, sometimes as a short form of Wolfgang, or even Wolfram or Wolfhart.
        • Wyn