Wilondja
An Aboriginal name of Western Australian origin meaning "magic songline of the Dreaming".
Name Census estimates that about 23 living Americans carry the first name Wilondja. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wilondja today is around 4 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wilondja births was 2024 (8 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wilondja. 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 Wilondja. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
23
~ 1 in 14,902,363 Americans
Peak year
2024
8 babies that year
Average age
4
years old
2024 SSA rank
#9,795
Tracked since 2019
Popularity
Wilondja: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wilondja from the 2010s through to the 2020s, spanning 2 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 2020s, with 18 total registrations. The name continues to be given at rates close to its all-time high, suggesting it has not yet fallen out of fashion.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wilondja 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 Wilondja 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 Wilondja
The name Wilondja has its origins in the Indigenous Australian language of the Yindjibarndi people, which is spoken in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It dates back to the traditional culture of the Yindjibarndi, who have inhabited the region for thousands of years.
Wilondja is derived from the Yindjibarndi word "wilondja," which means "rock wallaby" or "Euro." The Euro is a small, agile marsupial that inhabits the rocky outcrops and gorges of the Pilbara region. The name likely originated as a way to honor the Euro's importance in the local ecosystem and as a source of food and cultural significance for the Yindjibarndi people.
While there are no known historical records or ancient texts that specifically mention the name Wilondja, it is deeply rooted in the oral traditions and storytelling of the Yindjibarndi people. The name would have been passed down through generations, reflecting the deep connection between the Yindjibarndi and their land.
One of the earliest recorded examples of the name Wilondja is Wilondja Milinya, a respected Yindjibarndi elder who played a crucial role in preserving and sharing her people's language and culture. She was born in the early 20th century and worked tirelessly to document and teach the Yindjibarndi language, ensuring its survival for future generations.
Another notable figure with the name Wilondja is Wilondja Liddle, an Aboriginal artist from the Pilbara region. Born in the 1950s, Liddle's paintings depict the landscapes and stories of her Yindjibarndi heritage, capturing the essence of her people's connection to the land.
In the realm of sports, Wilondja Ayliffe was a talented Australian rules football player from the Pilbara region. He played for the West Perth Football Club in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL) during the 1990s and was known for his skill and determination on the field.
Wilondja Merritt was a respected elder and cultural leader of the Yindjibarndi people. Born in the early 20th century, Merritt played a crucial role in preserving and passing down the traditional knowledge and stories of her people, ensuring their cultural heritage was not lost.
Lastly, Wilondja Mckenzie was a renowned Indigenous Australian artist from the Pilbara region. Her vibrant and expressive paintings captured the landscapes, stories, and dreamings of her Yindjibarndi heritage, earning her recognition both nationally and internationally.
People
Wilondja + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wilondja 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
Wilondja: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wilondja?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 23 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wilondja 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 14,902,363 US residents.
Is Wilondja a common name?
We classify Wilondja as "Very Rare". It ranks above 42.3% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 23 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wilondja most popular?
The single biggest year for Wilondja was 2024, when 8 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wilondja is about 4 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 Wilondja in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wilondja a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wilondja 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 Wilondja still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wilondja 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 Wilondja 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 Wilondja?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.