Given name & surname
Wilson
“the son of William”
Wilson is used as a given name and a surname. One German interpretation is “the son of William.”
Meaning & origin
What it means
One German interpretation is “the son of William.”
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is German.
How it developed
In English usage, Wilson is a short form of William. In English usage, Wilson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Will.
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, Wilson is a short form 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
Wilson through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 49,017
- 48,807 boys · 210 girls
- Most popular year
- 1918
- 1,381 babies
- 2025
- 405
- #673 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −5%
- Steady
Where it’s given
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 405 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 673 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 4.6% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 1,381 in 1918. In 2025, California had the largest reported state-level birth count for boys with this name (42). Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 39,895 as a first name in 2020; 777,275 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.
Wilson’s family of names
In English usage, Wilson is a short form of William. In English usage, Wilson as a surname has a “son of” formation linked to Will. Wilson has a related form in Willson.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Wilson has relatives in 6 languages. Lines run from its German roots to each of them.
8 related names in 6 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 11
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
- Williamfull form · English
- Willsonvariant · English
- Wilssonlikely variant
- Wilsonnlikely variant
- Wilesonevariant
- Willesonevariant
- Willsinvariant
- Willsenvariant
Show 3 moreShow fewer
Spellings & scripts 3
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 8
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
People named Wilson
- Wilson PalaciosHonduran footballerborn 1984
- Wilson PickettAmerican male singer and songwriter (1941-2006)
- Wilson KipketerKenyan and Danish middle distance runnerborn 1972
- Wilson PiazzaBrazilian footballer (born 1943)
- Wilson IsidorHaitian-French association football playerborn 2000
- Wilson OrumaNigerian and French footballerborn 1976
- Wilson Kipsang KiprotichKenyan long distance runnerborn 1982
- WilsonBrazilian association football playerborn 1985
- Wilson Fittipaldi JúniorBrazilian racing driver (1943–2024)
Characters named Wilson: Kingpin (Marvel Comics, introduced in 1967).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Appears in
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