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Home › Baby Names Directory › Willodene

Willodene

♀ Girl

How to Pronounce Willodene

Pronounced WIL-oh-deen /ˈwɪl.oʊ.diːn/Medium

Meaning: Willodene is a coined compound joining Willa or Willow, a feminine of William meaning 'resolute protector' or the graceful willow tree, with the -dene suffix, an Old English element for a wooded valley that was hugely popular as a name ending in its day. The result reads as 'Willa of the valley' in spirit.Low

In 30 seconds: Willodene joins Willa or Willow with the vintage -dene ending, 'wooded valley'. A mid-century compound coinage, it was always rare (said WIL-oh-deen).
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Origin LowAmerican, English
MeaningWillodene is a coined compound joining Willa or Willow, a feminine of William meaning 'resolute protector' or the graceful willow tree, with the -dene suffix, an Old English element for a wooded valley that was hugely popular as a name ending in its day. The result reads as 'Willa of the valley' in spirit.
U.S. rank (1942)#3730 ↘ Falling
1942 U.S. births8 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1928
Total births (all-time)≈ 241

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 192819181942

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

Willodene is a made compound of its time, pairing Willa or Willow, from the Germanic William 'resolute protector' and the willow tree, with -dene, an Old English word for a small wooded valley that swept through girls' names as a stylish ending. Names like this were coined freely in the early twentieth century, and Willodene is one of the rarest, given to only a couple dozen girls a year.

Its narrow high point fell in the late nineteen-twenties, so a Willodene from then would be a great-grandmother today. Soft and flowing, it carries a faint 'willow in the valley' image and shortens easily to Willa or Dene; like its -dene sisters it has stayed firmly in the past.

Did you know? Willodene belongs to a whole family of -dene and -dean names of its era, where a plain first syllable was crowned with a fashionable 'valley' ending.
Overall data confidence 40%
References - Willodene — Compound of Willa/Willow plus -dene 'wooded valley'; mid-century coinage

Variations

WillodeanWilladeneWilla

Nicknames

WillaDene

Famous Bearers

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If you like Willodene…

Willa— the root name Willodene builds on
Willodean— the closest variant spelling
Wilma— a like vintage Wil- girl's name
Maudine— another -dine compound of the era

Explore names like Willodene

By themerarecoinagevintagecompound

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Willodene mean?

It is a compound of Willa or Willow, 'resolute protector' or the willow tree, with -dene, an old word for a wooded valley.

How do you pronounce Willodene?

It's said WIL-oh-deen /ˈwɪl.oʊ.diːn/, three syllables, with the stress on the first.

Is Willodene a boy or girl name?

Willodene is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Willodene?

It has always been rare, given to only a couple dozen girls a year, peaking in the late nineteen-twenties.

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