Woodrow

At a Glance: Name: Woodrow – Meaning: for one who lived by a row of houses near a wood – Origin: Old English (surname) – Gender: used for both boys and girls

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Woodrow is an Old English name that started out as a surname, and its real meaning is more specific than you might expect: it describes someone who lived by a row of houses near a wood. You may see it defined online as 'row of trees' or 'row of trees by a wood' — that's not quite accurate, since the name is about homes, not trees. It's a name with genuine old-English roots behind it.

Meaning & Origin of Woodrow

Meaning: For one who lived by a row of houses near a wood.

Origin: Old English (surname).

A common claim: Widely repeated as meaning 'row of trees' or 'row of trees by a wood' Actually: Not quite accurate — the more specific etymology is 'a dweller in a row of houses near a wood,' i.e. it describes homes, not trees.

Source: Wiktionary.

Popularity of Woodrow

Woodrow was far more common a century ago, ranking #44 in 1913 with 2,333 babies given the name that year. By 2024 it had dropped all the way to #1694, with just 99 babies named Woodrow.

Source: U.S. Social Security Administration birth-name data, 1900–2024.

Make Woodrow Name Art

Free printable nursery art for Woodrow, 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.

• Roma
• Cosmo
• Arnold
• Vivien
• Jacobo
• Chester

FAQ

What does the name Woodrow mean?

For one who lived by a row of houses near a wood. (Source: Wiktionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Woodrow)

Is Woodrow a popular name right now?

Woodrow peaked at #44 in 1913 and is ranked #1694 as of 2024. (U.S. Social Security Administration data, 1900–2024.)

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