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Home › Baby Names Directory › Willow

Willow

♂ Boy

Pronounced WIL-oh /ˈwɪl.oʊ/High

Meaning: From Old English welig, the willow tree — bending without breaking; here for boysHigh

In 30 seconds: The tree that bends and never breaks — for a son: Willow crosses the creek to boys with 1988 fantasy-film credentials (Willow Ufgood). Supple strength.
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Origin HighEnglish
MeaningFrom Old English welig, the willow tree — bending without breaking; here for boys
U.S. rank (2025)#4530 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births23 boys (0.00% of U.S. boys)
Peak year2023
Total births (all-time)≈ 465

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 202319242025

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

Willow comes from Old English welig — the riverside tree prized for flexible strength (and the original aspirin bark). Mostly a girls' favorite now, it crosses to sons; this page covers that use.

It registers thinly for boys. Rare for sons, bend-don't-break at the root, and riverine.

Did you know? Ron Howard's 1988 hero Willow Ufgood — a brave farmer-sorcerer — proved the tree-name's quiet masculine fantasy pedigree decades before the trend.
Overall data confidence 85%
Behind the Name — Willow — etymology

Variations

WilloughbyWilow

Nicknames

Will

Famous Bearers

  • Famous bearers coming soon.

If you like Willow…

Aspen— the companion crossover tree
Ash— another tree pick gone unisex
Woodrow— shares the -ow ending
Winslow— a similarly popular pick
Arrow— shares the -ow ending

Explore names like Willow

By themeenglishunisexnaturetree

All themes →All meanings →All origins →

Frequently Asked

What does the name Willow mean?

Willow is the willow tree, from Old English welig — graceful, resilient.

How do you pronounce Willow?

It's said WIL-oh /ˈwɪl.oʊ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Willow a boy or girl name?

Willow is mainly a girls' name; this page covers its use for boys.

How popular is Willow?

Willow is a rare name for boys in the U.S.

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