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Woodrow

♂ Boy

Pronounced WOOD-roh /ˈwʊd.roʊ/Medium

Meaning: from an English place name and surname meaning 'row of houses by a wood', from Old EnglishMedium

In 30 seconds: Woodrow comes from an English place name and surname meaning 'row of houses by a wood', from Old English roots.

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Origin MediumEnglish

Meaningfrom an English place name and surname meaning 'row of houses by a wood', from Old English

U.S. rank (2025)#1653 ↗ Rising

2025 U.S. births102 boys (0.01% of U.S. boys)

Peak year1918

Total births (all-time)≈ 39,107

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

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

Woodrow began as an English place name and surname describing a row of houses set by a wood. From that landscape it moved into use as a given name. Its Old English parts keep a clear, rural image at the heart of the name. The 28th U.S. president, Woodrow Wilson, who lived from 1856 to 1924, is its most prominent bearer.

Woodrow has a sturdy, old-fashioned ring, with the friendly short form Woody waiting inside it. The 'wood' element gives it a grounded, nature-tied feel.

Did you know? Woodrow likely reached first-name use through a surname or place-name route, which gives it that modern borrowed-from-history feel.

Overall data confidence 78%

Behind the Name - Woodrow — etymology, usage, pronunciation, and related formsU.S. Social Security Administration — 2024 popularity rank and count supplied in the batch input CSV

Variations

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Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

★Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924)
The 28th president of the United States, serving from 1913 to 1921. He led the country through World War I and championed the League of Nations.

If you like Woodrow…

Forrest— Shares Woodrow's woodland, nature-tied sense in a boy's name.

Winslow— a similarly popular pick

Harlow— another English name

Arrow— another English name

Marlow— a similarly popular pick

Explore names like Woodrow

By themeenglish nature surname-style

By meaningEarth / Nature

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Woodrow mean?

Woodrow is usually explained as meaning 'row of houses by a wood' and is most often linked with English tradition.

How do you pronounce Woodrow?

It's commonly said WOOD-roh /ˈwʊd.roʊ/.

Is Woodrow a boy or girl name?

In this batch and in recent U.S. usage data, Woodrow is used as a boy name.

How popular is Woodrow?

In 2024, Woodrow ranked #1694 in the U.S. for boys, with 99 births recorded.