Willard Name: Complete Etymology, Meaning & Popularity Analysis
Summary
Willard is of Old English origin, meaning 'brave and resolute'. The name evolved from 'Wilheard' to its modern form 'Willard'. It reflects traits of strength and determination. There is no biblical relevance associated with the name. Willard became popular in the 19th century, especially in the United States, and continues to be seen as a strong and classic name.
The name Willard is most popular in West Virginia, USA across all generations. It ranks highest as a Boy name among the G.I. Generation generation in the MidWest region. Recent 3-year trends show this Boy name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. Recent 3-year trends show this Girl name is maintaining steady popularity, while the 25-year trend indicates it has been relatively stable. From 2020-2022, Willard has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. The long-term 25-year analysis reveals it has been stalled for male in MidWest, stalled for male in Northeast, stalled for male in South, stalled for female in South, stalled for male in West. Across generations, 'Willard' has shown interesting popularity patterns: Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 89th out of 7545 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 142nd out of 6773 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 272nd out of 7552 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 493rd out of 10718 names. Among the Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996), it ranked 1009th out of 16616 names. Among the Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012), it ranked 2172nd out of 24088 names. Among the Generation Alpha (2013-2024), it ranked 2887th out of 23106 names. Among the G.I. Generation (1901-1927), it ranked 1391st out of 9107 names. Among the Silent Generation (1928-1945), it ranked 2468th out of 9204 names. Among the Baby Boomers (1946-1964), it ranked 6787th out of 12526 names. Among the Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980), it ranked 14367th out of 19264 names. Discover how the name 'Willard' has evolved through American history with our comprehensive regional and generational analysis.
Etymology & Cultural Background of "Willard"
Pronunciation
/ˈwɪl.ərd/
Origin
Old English
Etymology
The name Willard is derived from the Old English personal name 'Wilheard', which combines the elements 'wil', meaning 'will' or 'desire', and 'hard', meaning 'brave' or 'hardy'.
Meaning
brave and resolute
Language Evolution
Wilheard, Willard
Historical Usage
Willard gained popularity in the United States during the 19th century, particularly as a given name and surname.
Variants & Derivatives
Will, Willie, Willy
Modern Popularity & Image
Currently, Willard is viewed as a traditional and somewhat vintage name, often associated with strength and reliability.
Famous People
Willard Scott, Willard Van Orman Quine, Willard Mitt Romney
Explore More Willard Name Visualizations
Historical Birth Statistics for the Name "Willard"
Note: Years with identical rankings may represent different numbers of births. Data is sourced from Social Security card applications for births in the United States.
Yearly Ranking History of "Willard"
"Willard" Popularity Across American Generations
| Generation | Gender | Rank | Total Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Boy | 89th of 7545 | 32,314 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Boy | 142nd of 6773 | 22,241 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Boy | 272nd of 7552 | 13,435 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Boy | 493rd of 10718 | 4,272 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) | Boy | 1009th of 16616 | 1,601 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) | Boy | 2172nd of 24088 | 888 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) | Boy | 2887th of 23106 | 505 |
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) | Girl | 1391st of 9107 | 563 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) | Girl | 2468th of 9204 | 229 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) | Girl | 6787th of 12526 | 55 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) | Girl | 14367th of 19264 | 16 |
Regional Popularity of "Willard" by Generation for Male Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
5.16% 73rd/1416 |
8.63% 119th/1379 |
3.89% 92nd/2366 |
9.02% 103rd/1142 |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
8.54% 132nd/1546 |
9.83% 153rd/1556 |
5.44% 128th/2353 |
11.51% 178th/1547 |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
11.72% 261st/2227 |
11.28% 274th/2430 |
8.59% 245th/2853 |
12.61% 350th/2775 |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
15.83% 465th/2937 |
15.30% 533rd/3483 |
12.56% 442nd/3518 |
16.27% 658th/4044 |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
31.72% 1169th/3685 |
31.69% 1418th/4475 |
19.10% 992nd/5194 |
27.59% 1743rd/6317 |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
51.90% 2378th/4582 |
- |
34.47% 2521st/7313 |
49.12% 3666th/7463 |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
71.34% 2842nd/3984 |
- |
66.11% 4510th/6822 |
75.38% 4731st/6276 |
Regional Popularity of "Willard" by Generation for Female Names
| TOP(%) | MidWest | Northeast | South | West |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G.I. Generation (1901-1927) |
- | - |
49.66% 1175th/2366 |
- |
| Silent Generation (1928-1945) |
- | - |
100.00% 2353rd/2353 |
- |
| Baby Boomers (1946-1964) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation X (Gen X) (1965-1980) |
- | - | - | - |
| Millennials (Gen Y) (1981-1996) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Z (Gen Z or Zoomers) (1997-2012) |
- | - | - | - |
| Generation Alpha (2013-2024) |
- | - | - | - |
State-by-State Popularity of "Willard"
This map shows the relative popularity of "Willard" across states, calculated by dividing the number of births with this name in each state by the total births in that state. This methodology provides a standardized measure of popularity regardless of state population size.