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At a Glance: Name: Willis – Meaning: 'son of Will' — a patronymic surname built on Will, the short form of William – Origin: English (patronymic surname) – Gender: used for both boys and girls – Pronunciation: WIL-is
Willis started out as an English patronymic surname, meaning roughly 'son of Will' — one step removed from William itself. You'll sometimes see Willis defined as 'resolute protector,' but that's actually William's meaning; Willis simply points to a father named Will.
Meaning & Origin of Willis
Meaning: 'son of Will' — a patronymic surname built on Will, the short form of William.
Origin: English (patronymic surname).
A common claim: Frequently listed as meaning 'resolute protector,' identical to William. Actually: Willis is a patronymic surname meaning roughly 'son of Will' — the 'resolute protector' meaning belongs to William itself, one generation removed.
Source: Wiktionary.
How to Pronounce Willis
Phonetic: WIL-is IPA: /ˈwɪlɪs/
Popularity of Willis
Willis peaked at #86 in 1880 with 166 babies given the name, and by 2024 it had fallen to #2701 with just 49 — Social Security data covers 1880 through 2024.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1880–2024.
Make Willis Name Art
Free printable nursery art for Willis, pre-loaded below — pick a layout, palette, and font, then download a print-ready PNG.
Names With a Similar Story
Derived from shared style, era, and origin data (or, for names we have no style data for, a similar Social Security popularity trajectory) — not a hand-picked list.
FAQ
What does the name Willis mean?
‘son of Will’ — a patronymic surname built on Will, the short form of William. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Willis)
How do you pronounce Willis?
Willis is pronounced WIL-is (IPA: /ˈwɪlɪs/).
Is Willis a popular name right now?
Willis peaked at #86 in 1880 and is ranked #2701 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1880–2024.)
📊 How popular is Willis? See the full popularity history, trend data, and ranking since 1880 with our free Baby Name Popularity Checker.
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