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Home › Baby Names Directory › Willoughby

Willoughby

♀ Girl

Pronounced WIL-oh-bee /ˈwɪl.o.bi/High

Meaning: From the Old Norse/English, 'a farm/settlement by the willow trees' (welig, 'willow', + by, 'a farmstead'); a place-name and surname; used for both sexesLow

In 30 seconds: From the farm by the willows: Willoughby is English. Crisp, classic, and warm. Used for both sexes.
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Origin LowEnglish, Norse
MeaningFrom the Old Norse/English, 'a farm/settlement by the willow trees' (welig, 'willow', + by, 'a farmstead'); a place-name and surname; used for both sexes
U.S. rank (2025)#17134 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births5 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)
Peak year2020
Total births (all-time)≈ 91

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202420002025

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

Willoughby comes from the Old Norse/English, 'a farm/settlement by the willow trees' (welig, 'willow', + by, 'a farmstead'); a place-name and surname; used for both sexes. A crisp, classic name (here for a girl; slug distinguished; said 'WIL-oh-bee').

In the U.S. it appears as a surname-turned-first-name. Rare, a-farm-by-the-willows at the root, and crisp.

Did you know? Willoughby is 'a farm by the willow trees' in Old Norse/English (welig + by) — a crisp, charming surname-name, used for both sexes (said 'WIL-oh-bee').
Overall data confidence 34%
References — Willoughby — English/Norse place-name; unisex

Variations

WillowbyWillobee

Nicknames

WillowWill

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Willoughby…

Willow— a sound-neighbor Will- girls' name
Waverly— a fellow surname-name girls' name
Wilhelmina— a companion Wil- girls' name
Toby— shares Willoughby's English roots
Kirby— another English name

Explore names like Willoughby

By themeenglishunisexsurname-nameplace-namenorse

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Willoughby mean?

Willoughby is English/Norse for 'a farm by the willow trees' (welig + by); a place-name and surname; used for both sexes; here for a girl.

How do you pronounce Willoughby?

It's said WIL-oh-bee /ˈwɪl.o.bi/ — three syllables, stress on the first.

Is Willoughby a boy or girl name?

Willoughby is used for both sexes; this page covers its use as a girl's name.

How popular is Willoughby?

Willoughby is a very rare name in the U.S.

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