Given name & surname
Will
“a resolute and brave man”·“will”·“desire”
In English use, Will is a diminutive of Willard. One German interpretation is “a resolute and brave man.” In English use, Will is a diminutive of William. William’s elements mean “will” or “desire” and “helmet” or “protection.” “Determined protector” is a natural interpretation of that combination.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Will is a diminutive of Willard. One German interpretation is “a resolute and brave man.” In English use, Will is a diminutive of William. William’s elements mean “will” or “desire” and “helmet” or “protection.” “Determined protector” is a natural interpretation of that combination. In English use, Will is a diminutive of Wilfred. One English interpretation is “one who wishes for peace.” In English use, Will is a diminutive of Willow. Interpretations include “from the willow tree; symbol of healing and grace” (English) and “of the willow tree” (English). These may reflect different naming traditions.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
In English use, Will is a diminutive of Willard. An origin associated with Willard is Old English. In English use, Will is a diminutive of William. William is an English form of a Germanic name brought to England by the Normans. In English use, Will is a diminutive of Wilfred. An origin associated with Wilfred is English.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
In English use, Will is used as a shortened form of Will. In English use, Will is a diminutive of William. The shared background comes through William: William joins the Germanic elements wil and helm. The second element began with the concrete image of a helmet and also carried the broader idea of protection.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Will is a diminutive of Willard. The history of Willard gives this family its wider story. Willard’s naming history includes the use of a family name as a given name. In English use, Will is a diminutive of William. The history of William gives this family its wider story. William spread widely in England after the Norman Conquest, among people beyond the Norman ruling class. William remained prominent through the Middle Ages and became a royal name in England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Will through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 46,610
- 45,952 boys · 658 girls
- Most popular year
- 1888
- 712 babies
- 2025
- 170
- #1,195 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −27%
- Easing
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 170 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 1,195 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 26.8% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 707 in 1888. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (17). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 44,843 as a first name in 2020; 12,037 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Will’s family of names
In English usage, Will is a diminutive of William. In English usage, Will has a surname derivative in Willett. In English usage, Will has a related form in Bill.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Will has relatives in 22 languages.
39 related names in 22 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 12
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 44
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Liamequivalent
- Wilson“son of” surname · English
- Guillermoequivalent
- Willemequivalent
- WilhelmGerman
- Wiliamequivalent
- Guilhermeequivalent
- Willson“son of” surname · English
Show 36 moreShow fewer
- Willsequivalent
- Gwilymequivalent
- Guillaumeequivalent
- Wilcoequivalent · Dutch
- Willettpatronymic from · English
- Willetpatronymic from · English
- VilleSwedish, Finnish
- ViliSlovene, Hungarian
- WilliGerman
- VilhoFinnish
- Gulielmusequivalent
- Guillemequivalent
- Vilémequivalent
- Guillénequivalent
- Vilmosequivalent
- Gwilhermequivalent
- GuglielmoItalian
- Guilleequivalent · Spanish
- Willettspatronymic from · English
- Willottpatronymic from · English
- Viljemequivalent
- Viljoequivalent
- GwilWelsh
- VilkoSlovene, Serbo-Croatian
- УилломRussian
- GuiPortuguese
- WumLimburgish
- VilisLatvian
- ウィルJapanese
- ווילHebrew
- ΓουίλGreek
- WimGerman, Dutch
- GuillonFrench
- PimDutch
- JelleDutch
- Уи́лBulgarian
See also 6
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Will
- Will SmithAmerican actor, film producer and rapper (born 1968)
- Will DurantAmerican historian, philosopher and writer (1885-1981)
- Will RogersAmerican humorist and entertainer (1879–1935)
- Will PoulterBritish actor (born 1993)
- Will.i.amAmerican rapper, singer, and record producer (born 1975)
- Will ChampionEnglish drummer (born 1978)
- Will EisnerAmerican cartoonist, writer and entrepreneur (1917–2005)
- Will PattonAmerican actorborn 1954
- Will Griggassociation football player (born 1991)
Characters named Will: Will Turner (the Pirates of the Caribbean film series), Will Scarlet (member of Robin Hood's Merry Men), Will Byers (Netflix series Stranger Things), Will Graham (Red Dragon).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Will, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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“one who is bold, brave, and genuine”
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Ole
“one who is alert; watchful”
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Garfield
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Grover
“from the grove of trees”
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Wong
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Dewey
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Willie
“will” · “desire”
98% boys · 2% girls
Willis
“will” · “desire”
>99% boys