Williette
Diminutive feminine form of William, a Germanic name meaning "resolute protection".
Name Census estimates that about 87 living Americans carry the first name Williette. The name is used almost exclusively for girls. The average person named Williette today is around 69 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Williette births was 1957 (14 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Williette. 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
- • The typical person named Williette is about 69 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Williettes were born before 1967.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Williette. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
87
~ 1 in 3,939,705 Americans
Peak year
1957
14 babies that year
Average age
69
years old
1969 SSA rank
#7,463
Tracked since 1937
Popularity
Williette: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Williette from the 1930s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1950s, with 59 total registrations. Although the numbers have come down from the 1950s peak, Williette remains solidly in use and shows no sign of disappearing from maternity wards.
Babies born per year
Decades
Williette 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 Williette during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Williette
The name Williette is a feminine given name with roots tracing back to the Late Latin and Early Germanic languages. Its origins can be found in the combination of the Germanic elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and the common Germanic suffix "-ette" which denotes a diminutive or endearing form.
This name first appeared in written records around the 9th century CE, primarily in regions of modern-day France and Germany. It is believed to have been derived from the older Germanic name Wilhildis or Wilihild, which was composed of the elements "wil" (will) and "hildi" (battle).
One of the earliest documented instances of the name Williette can be found in a medieval French text from the 12th century, where it was used to refer to a young noblewoman. In the 13th century, a Williette de Montfort was recorded as a member of the influential Montfort family in France.
During the Middle Ages, the name Williette gained popularity among the French aristocracy and was often associated with individuals of noble or gentle birth. Notable examples include Williette de Bouville, a 14th-century French noblewoman, and Williette de Châteauneuf, a 15th-century courtier in the court of King Charles VII of France.
In the 16th century, the name Williette appeared in the works of the renowned French poet and satirist Clément Marot, who referenced a character by that name in one of his poems. This literary reference helped to further popularize the name during the Renaissance period.
Other notable individuals bearing the name Williette throughout history include Williette de Mézières, a 17th-century French courtier and lady-in-waiting to Queen Marie-Thérèse of France, and Williette de Lancy, an 18th-century French noblewoman and socialite known for her literary salons.
While the name Williette has been primarily associated with French and Germanic cultures, it has also been adopted in other regions over time, often with slight variations in spelling or pronunciation. However, its historical roots can be traced back to the Late Latin and Early Germanic languages, reflecting a rich and enduring tradition.
People
Williette + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Williette 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
Williette: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Williette?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 87 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Williette 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 1 in 3,939,705 US residents.
Is Williette a common name?
We classify Williette as "Very Rare". It ranks above 62.5% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 127 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Williette most popular?
The single biggest year for Williette was 1957, when 14 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Williette is about 69 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
Is Williette a female name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Williette in the SSA data are female. 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.
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.