Find out how popular the first name Willy has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Popularity of Willy by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, Willy is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 19 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Willy.

The history of the first name Willy

The name Willy is a diminutive form of the Germanic name William, which is derived from the Old German words "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protection." The name William was brought to England by the Normans after their conquest in 1066, and it became popular among the nobility and upper classes.

Willy emerged as a nickname or shortened version of William, particularly in the Middle Ages and Renaissance period. It was commonly used as an informal or affectionate form of the name, often among family members or close friends. The spelling "Willy" is believed to have originated in English-speaking countries, although variations such as "Willie" and "Willi" exist in other languages.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Willy can be found in the 14th-century literary work "The Canterbury Tales" by Geoffrey Chaucer, where the character "Willy" is mentioned. During the Renaissance period, the name Willy gained popularity among artists and writers, including the Dutch painter Willy Sluiter (1873-1949) and the English poet Willy Muir (1890-1979).

In the 18th and 19th centuries, several notable figures bore the name Willy. Among them were Willy Brandt (1913-1992), a German statesman and former Chancellor of West Germany, and Willy Wonka, the fictional character from Roald Dahl's beloved children's book "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" (1964).

Other famous individuals with the first name Willy include Willy Messerschmitt (1898-1978), the German aircraft designer and engineer, Willy Russell (born 1947), the English playwright and author, and Willy Tybur (1887-1952), a Dutch Olympic cyclist who won multiple gold medals in the early 20th century.

While the name Willy may have fallen out of fashion in some regions, it remains a cherished nickname and a nod to the rich history and cultural significance of the name William.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Willy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Willy, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!