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Home › Baby Names Directory › Wilson

Wilson

♂ Boy

Pronounced WIL-sun /ˈwɪl.sən/High

Meaning: English patronymic surname meaning son of William or son of Will; William derives from Old High German Wilhelm, composed of wil meaning will or desire and helm meaning protection or helmetHigh

In 30 seconds: A sturdy English patronymic surname meaning son of the resolute protector, Wilson carries presidential weight (Woodrow Wilson) and has a clean, friendly two-syllable sound.
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Origin HighEnglish, Germanic
MeaningEnglish patronymic surname meaning son of William or son of Will; William derives from Old High German Wilhelm, composed of wil meaning will or desire and helm meaning protection or helmet
U.S. rank (2025)#673 ↘ Falling
2025 U.S. births405 boys (0.02% of U.S. boys)
Peak year1918
Total births (all-time)≈ 48,808

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

peak 191818802025

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

Wilson is an English patronymic surname meaning son of Will, where Will is a short form of William. William derives from Old High German Wilhelm, composed of wil (will, desire) and helm (protection, helmet). The name William was brought to England by the Normans and became enormously popular, generating the patronymic Wilson as a widespread English surname.

As a given name, Wilson has been used in America since the 19th century, partly as an honor name for President Woodrow Wilson. In the 21st century it has been rising as part of the surname-name trend for boys. It fits alongside Hayes, Brooks, and Davis as a distinguished surname that wears well as a given name. Wilson has charted in the U.S. top 1000 for boys in recent years.

Did you know? The volleyball in the film Cast Away (2000), to which Tom Hanks's character formed a deep emotional bond during his island isolation, was named Wilson — turning this surname-name into one of cinema's most unlikely and beloved character names.
Overall data confidence 95%
Behind the Name — Wilson — etymologyU.S. Social Security Administration — popularity data

Variations

WillWilliam

Nicknames

WillWil

Famous Bearers

  • ★Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
    28th President of the United States.

If you like Wilson…

Davis— shares the same patronymic surname-name tradition and the same two-syllable cadence
Harrison— another presidential patronymic surname-name with the same dignified American quality
Hayes— fellow presidential surname-name with the same preppy, distinguished sound
Watson— shares the same -son patronymic ending and the same quiet, literary elegance

Explore names like Wilson

By themeamericansurname-nametwo-syllablepresidentialold-high-german
By meaningProtector

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Wilson mean?

Wilson means son of Will or son of William, from Old High German Wilhelm meaning resolute protector.

How do you pronounce Wilson?

It is said WIL-sun /ˈwɪl.sən/ — two syllables with stress on the first.

Is Wilson a popular given name?

Wilson has been rising in the U.S. top 200 boys' names in the 21st century as part of the surname-name trend.

Is Wilson a presidential name?

Yes — Woodrow Wilson was the 28th President of the United States, giving Wilson presidential heritage as a given name.

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