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Home β€Ί Baby Names Directory β€Ί Wilkie

Wilkie

β™‚ Boy

How to Pronounce Wilkie

Pronounced WIL-kee /ˈwΙͺl.ki/Medium

Meaning: Wilkie began as a diminutive of Wilkin β€” 'little Will' β€” from William, the Germanic name meaning 'resolute protector,' from wil, 'will,' and helm, 'helmet, protection.' It became an English surname and then a given name, worn by the novelist Wilkie Collins and echoing the 1940 presidential candidate Wendell Willkie.Medium

In 30 seconds: Wilkie is a surname-name and pet form of Wilkin, from William, 'resolute protector.' Rare and dapper, it crested around 1940. Say it WIL-kee.
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Origin MediumEnglish, Germanic
MeaningWilkie began as a diminutive of Wilkin β€” 'little Will' β€” from William, the Germanic name meaning 'resolute protector,' from wil, 'will,' and helm, 'helmet, protection.' It became an English surname and then a given name, worn by the novelist Wilkie Collins and echoing the 1940 presidential candidate Wendell Willkie.
U.S. rank (1978)#6739 β†˜ Falling
1978 U.S. births5 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1940
Total births (all-time)β‰ˆ 340

Popularity in the U.S. Β· SSA data

peak 194019141978

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Wilkie traces to Wilkin, a medieval pet form of William β€” 'little Will' β€” from the Germanic wil, 'will, desire,' and helm, 'protection,' for 'resolute protector.' As a surname it belonged to the Victorian novelist Wilkie Collins, and its brief American crest around 1940 coincided with Wendell Willkie's run for the presidency, an example of a surname briefly entering baby-name use.

That 1940 peak places most Wilkies in the World War Two generation. The name never became common and has not revived, but as a dapper, literary surname-name with a clear tie to William, it could appeal to a parent hunting something crisp, vintage, and unexpected.

Did you know? Wilkie is a genuine rarity that crested around 1940 at roughly five dozen boys a year β€” a spike that lines up strikingly with the 1940 presidential campaign of Wendell Willkie, whose prominence that year likely nudged a few families toward the surname as a first name.
Overall data confidence 55%
References β€” Wilkie β€” diminutive of Wilkin from William 'resolute protector'; 1940 peak ~ Wendell Willkie; bearer Wilkie Collins

Variations

WilkesWilkinWillkie

Nicknames

WillWilkKie

Famous Bearers

  • β˜…Wilkie Collins (1824–1889)
    English novelist, author of The Woman in White and The Moonstone, who used Wilkie as his given name.

If you like Wilkie…

Wilkesβ€” a like William-derived surname-name
Wilfredβ€” another vintage Wil- boy's name
Emoryβ€” a fellow crisp surname-style boy's name
Wallieβ€” another English name
Jessieβ€” another English name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wilkie mean?

Wilkie is a pet form of Wilkin, from William, meaning 'resolute protector'; it is also an English surname.

How do you pronounce Wilkie?

It's said WIL-kee β€” two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Wilkie a boy or girl name?

Wilkie is used as a boy's name.

Is Wilkie making a comeback?

Not yet β€” but as a crisp, literary surname-name tied to William, it could suit a parent seeking something unexpected.

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