Wiljo
Of Scandinavian origin, meaning "resolute protector" or "determined guard".
Name Census estimates that about 0 living Americans carry the first name Wiljo. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wiljo today is around 0 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wiljo births was 1916 (6 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wiljo. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wiljo. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
0
~ - Americans
Peak year
1916
6 babies that year
Average age
-
1916 SSA rank
#3,883
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Wiljo: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Wiljo by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Wiljo during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 6 | 0 | 6 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Wiljo
The name Wiljo is of Finnish origin, derived from the combination of the Old Norse words "vilji" meaning "will" or "desire," and "jo" meaning "already" or "presently." Its roots can be traced back to the Viking era, around the 8th to 11th centuries, when Norse settlers and traders had a significant influence on the Finnish language and culture.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Wiljo can be found in the Kalevala, the national epic of Finland, which was compiled from ancient Finnish folklore and oral traditions in the 19th century. In the epic, the character Wiljo is depicted as a brave and skilled warrior, reflecting the name's connotations of strength and determination.
Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Wiljo. One such figure was Wiljo Sariola (1901-1973), a Finnish long-distance runner who won the silver medal in the 10,000 meters event at the 1924 Paris Olympics. Another famous bearer of the name was Wiljo Manni (1920-1994), a Finnish writer and journalist known for his satirical works and contributions to the Finnish literary scene.
In the realm of music, Wiljo Tuomisto (1928-2020) was a renowned Finnish composer and conductor who helped shape the country's contemporary classical music landscape. His compositions, including orchestral works and operas, garnered international acclaim and were performed by leading ensembles worldwide.
Moving beyond Finland, the name Wiljo has also been found in other Nordic countries, albeit less commonly. In Sweden, Wiljo Sjöström (1874-1931) was a prominent actor and film director during the silent film era, renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to the art of cinema.
Lastly, in the field of science, Wiljo Sarleman (1892-1978) was a Finnish physicist and professor who made significant contributions to the study of atomic physics and quantum mechanics. His research on the behavior of electrons in metals and the development of new experimental techniques earned him recognition in the scientific community.
People
Wiljo + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wiljo as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wiljo: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wiljo?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 0 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wiljo going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about - US residents.
Is Wiljo a common name?
We classify Wiljo as "Very Rare". It ranks above 2.9% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 6 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wiljo most popular?
The single biggest year for Wiljo was 1916, when 6 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wiljo is about 0 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Wiljo in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wiljo a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wiljo in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Wiljo still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wiljo in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Wiljo can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How common is the name Wiljo?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many people have the name Wiljo at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.