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Home › Baby Names Directory › Willona

Willona

♀ Girl

Pronounced wih-LOH-nuh /wɪˈloʊnə/Low

Meaning: Willona is a feminine name built from the Will- of William, extended with an -ona ending like Ramona or Winona. William comes from the Germanic Willahelm, 'will' plus 'helmet,' meaning 'resolute protector.' Willona carries that root in a distinctly feminine form.Low

In 30 seconds: Willona is a feminine name from Will/William with an -ona ending, meaning 'resolute protector.' It stayed rare and peaked around 1975 (said wih-LOH-nuh).
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Origin LowGermanic, American
MeaningWillona is a feminine name built from the Will- of William, extended with an -ona ending like Ramona or Winona. William comes from the Germanic Willahelm, 'will' plus 'helmet,' meaning 'resolute protector.' Willona carries that root in a distinctly feminine form.
U.S. rank (1979)#5741 ↘ Falling
1979 U.S. births12 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year1975
Total births (all-time)≈ 82

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 197519741979

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

Willona is a feminine form drawn from Will and William, finished with an -ona ending in the style of Ramona and Winona. William descends from the Germanic Willahelm, 'resolute protector.' The name got a cultural boost from the character Willona Woods on Good Times, and it appears in mid-nineteen-seventies records as a rare choice.

Willona was never common, given to only about sixteen girls a year at its peak around 1975. A girl named Willona then is around fifty today.

Did you know? Willona gained a moment of visibility as the name of the neighbor Willona Woods on the nineteen-seventies television series Good Times, the very decade this name peaked.
Overall data confidence 38%
References - Willona — Feminine of Will/William + -ona; 'resolute protector'; Good Times character

Variations

WilonaWillonnaWillenaWilonna

Nicknames

WillOna

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Willona…

Wilhelmina— a related feminine of William
Willa— a related Will- girl's name
Ramona— a like -ona ending name
Winona— a related -ona name

Explore names like Willona

By themerarevintagefeminine

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Willona mean?

It is a feminine name from Will and William, meaning 'resolute protector,' with an -ona ending.

How do you pronounce Willona?

It is said wih-LOH-nuh /wɪˈloʊnə/ - three syllables.

Is Willona a boy or girl name?

Willona is used as a girl's name.

How popular is Willona?

It was always rare, given to only about sixteen girls a year at its peak in the nineteen-seventies.

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