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By jevohh · Updated September 2023
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German
"resolute protection"
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…
English
"western meadow"
Reminiscent of the Old West, with rugged charm and a gentle, easy-going feel, Wesley has long been a staple on the US charts. Its popularity may have peaked in the 1970s when it reached #66, but…
"army ruler"
Walter was seen as a noble name in the Sir Walter Raleigh and Sir Walter Scott era, but it then spent decades in baby name limbo. Now quite a few independent-minded parents are looking at it as a…
"son of Will"
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…
Diminutive of William
"resolute protector"
Will has definitely replaced Bill, not only as a nickname for William but as a stand-alone name as well, partly thanks to England's Prince William, also known as Wills. Currently outside the Top 1000…
Diminutive of William, German
There have been many great Willies (Mays, Nelson, Wonka), but a boy with this name could never ever go to England. Most people will also assume it is short for the more traditional William, which…
"determined fame"
The visibility of actor Wilmer (That 70s Show) Valderrama has highlighted this name, but it's not likely to spread because of its similarity to the feminine (and dated) Wilma.
German, English
"wanderer; to travel, to proceed"
This name has hardly been used since Wendell Willkie ran for president in 1940, and it may not quite be ready for revival yet. Still, clunky grandpa names like Lionel, Douglas, Benedict, Carl, and…
Williams is a patronymic surname that has evolved into use as a given name. Derived from the Germanic name Wilhelm (composed of elements meaning 'will, desire' and 'helmet, protection'), it literally…
Spanish and Portuguese form of Wilfred, German
"desires peace"
Wilfredo has been consistently used in Hispanic and Latino communities for generations, though it's never reached extreme popularity. The name carries a dignified, traditional quality while remaining…
Wilfred is one of those Old Man Names that still sounds fusty in the US but is fashionable in the UK. It comes with readymade short forms Will, Wilf, or Fred and might make an adventurous alternative…
"bright will"
Wilbert is one of the new old grandpa names marching -- shuffling? -- back into style, taking the place of names like Gus and Max which now sound totally baby-friendly. Wilbert and cousin Wilbur…
Wesly is a masculine name that serves as a variant spelling of Wesley, which originated as an English surname meaning 'western meadow' or 'western clearing.' This streamlined spelling removes the…
German, pet form of names such as Waldemar
"to rule"
Its jaunty o-ending makes this name more appealing than most of its Germanic brothers, and we hope we're beyond the constant response to his name being "Where's Waldo?" The weighty reputation of…
"famous ruler"
The American child given this name of four kings of Denmark, not to mention one so similar to that of the Harry Potter archvillain Lord Voldemort, might have to pay a large emotional import tax.
Germanic
"will"
This spelling pares Will down to the bare minimum — and why not? It is also a Welsh diminutive of William / Wiliam / Gwilym.
