Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Will as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Will

♡Add to my Name List

The baby name Will is a Boy name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced WIL.

Will is English, Germanic, Old French in Origin.

Gender: Boy
Syllables: 1
Origin: English, Germanic, Old French
Pronunciation: WIL

What is the meaning of the name Will ?

The baby name Will is a boy name , 1 syllables long and is pronounced WIL.

Will is English, Germanic, Old French in Origin.

Will is an English short form of William, entering Middle English through Anglo-Norman Willame and Old French Guillaume; the earliest relevant name-form is Germanic Wilhelm. That compound joins *wiljô, will or desire, with *helmaz, helmet, a common early Germanic image for protection, so the literal sense is desire-helmet or willed protection rather than a separate English word-name.

The nickname was established in England after the Norman Conquest, when William became one of the dominant male names. Medieval and early modern records show Will beside fuller William, and literary familiarity was reinforced by William Shakespeare, often called Will. Bill displaced it in some twentieth-century English-speaking settings, but Will later regained favor as the plainer short form, helped by public figures such as Will Rogers, Will Smith, and Will Ferrell. Related forms include German Wilhelm, Dutch Willem, French Guillaume, Spanish Guillermo, Italian Guglielmo, Scandinavian Vilhelm, Welsh Gwilym, and Irish Uilliam.

Will has the following similar or variant Names

Famous people with the name Will

William McKinley Politician · Born 1843 · United States William McKinley served as the 25th President of the United States, most famous for leading the nation during the Spanish-American War. His presidency marked a period of economic growth and the expansion of American influence overseas. Tragically, his second term was cut short when he was assassinated in 1901. Will Smith Actor · Born 1968 · United States Will Smith is an American actor and musician best known for his roles in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air' and blockbuster films like 'Men in Black' and 'Independence Day'. He has also enjoyed a successful music career with hits like 'Gettin' Jiggy wit It'. William Shatner Actor · Born 1931 · Canada William Shatner is a Canadian actor best known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the Star Trek television series and films. He also starred in the TV series T.J. Hooker and Boston Legal. Born in 1931, Shatner has had a diverse career spanning several decades in the entertainment industry.
William Hurt Actor · Born 1950 · United States William Hurt was an American actor best known for his role in the film 'Kiss of the Spider Woman', which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor. He also starred in 'Broadcast News' and 'The Big Chill', showcasing his versatility and depth as an actor. Will Rogers Politician · Born 1879 · United States Will Rogers was best known as an American vaudeville star, actor, and witty social commentator. Born William Penn Adair Rogers in the Cherokee Nation in Indian Territory, he became one of the country’s most popular entertainers through his stage work, newspaper columns, and films like State Fair, Doctor Bull, and Judge Priest. Will Poulter Actor · Born 1993 · United Kingdom Will Poulter is a British actor best known for his role in the film 'The Maze Runner'. He also appeared in 'We're the Millers' and 'The Revenant'.

Will – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Ireland Boys 2025 #1 — 836
MV 0 #18 2 644
SV Boys 0 #27 2 352
NA 0 #33 1 2,537
HT Boys 0 #34 1 903
MT 0 #42 2 1,767
GE 0 #44 1 997
MO 0 #48 5 2,706
HN Boys 0 #52 1 749
CM 0 #54 3 2,592
PR 0 #54 2 1,497
LU 0 #66 1 2,830
CN 0 #67 19 3,857
JP 0 #71 7 4,057
TW 0 #73 28 4,523
AL 0 #76 1 2,372
AO 0 #76 2 2,729
MV Boys 0 #78 2 3,375
BG 0 #82 1 1,799
CN Boys 0 #85 373 9,639
JM 0 #93 1 3,714
PH 0 #104 7 5,607
QA 0 #105 2 7,011
TW Boys 0 #115 150 7,111
OM 0 #118 4 6,215
EC 0 #120 2 2,502
KW 0 #121 1 5,216
CY Boys 0 #127 5 3,473
AZ Boys 0 #131 1 1,400
PA 0 #131 8 3,797
GR 0 #132 4 3,911
ID Boys 0 #133 3 4,130
CR 0 #135 24 5,526
MU 0 #136 2 3,613
BN Boys 0 #137 3 6,332
JO 0 #140 1 2,158
BW Boys 0 #146 9 4,685
LT Boys 0 #149 3 2,166
MO Boys 0 #159 65 5,842
PR Boys 0 #161 14 2,508
AE 0 #162 16 10,220
Belgium Boys 2024 #163 26 401
PR Girls 0 #167 1 3,171
HU Boys 0 #171 4 3,954
MT Boys 0 #174 6 4,064
Sweden Boys 2020 #176 2 1,548
HR 0 #181 1 2,081
UY 0 #181 2 2,477
RU 0 #191 4 3,641
AR 0 #192 2 2,915
LU Boys 0 #204 15 4,970
DK 0 #206 1 5,198
SI Boys 0 #211 1 3,402
PL 0 #212 1 2,600
AO Boys 0 #214 29 5,568
CR Boys 0 #214 397 10,188
AO Girls 0 #217 1 4,575
NA Boys 0 #221 15 6,830
EC Boys 0 #225 15 3,322
PS 0 #225 2 5,692
AL Girls 0 #227 1 4,141
HK Boys 0 #230 505 12,905
NA Girls 0 #236 2 7,146
SG 0 #236 34 11,010
GH 0 #244 5 5,396
JM Boys 0 #244 29 6,876
GR Girls 0 #249 1 6,293
PT 0 #249 2 4,161
JP Girls 0 #250 2 6,592
HR Boys 0 #256 4 3,997
JP Boys 0 #256 42 7,909
MO Girls 0 #261 3 7,056
NG 0 #268 5 5,926
BR Boys 0 #270 1,046 12,213
GR Boys 0 #271 3 6,912
KZ Boys 0 #271 19 6,578
Canada Boys 2024 #272 35 2,588
HK 0 #275 74 8,483
PE 0 #276 35 6,350
JM Girls 0 #278 1 7,507
IL 0 #279 4 6,291
TW Girls 0 #283 7 8,139
CZ Boys 0 #293 12 6,530
MY 0 #293 38 12,352
HR Girls 0 #294 1 3,687
BR 0 #297 49 5,969
CO Boys 0 #299 1,478 15,656
GT 0 #299 16 5,948
AL Boys 0 #300 4 5,122
SA 0 #306 7 10,560
DK Boys 0 #307 19 7,401
GT Boys 0 #316 168 7,625
GH Boys 0 #322 24 8,138
PT Boys 0 #322 46 7,951
KZ Girls 0 #332 1 5,862
GH Girls 0 #333 5 6,973
PL Boys 0 #333 8 6,459
MU Boys 0 #335 23 8,477
PH Boys 0 #336 48 11,440
JO Girls 0 #339 1 7,570
BO 0 #342 40 6,868
PE Boys 0 #342 1,132 14,506
QA Girls 0 #343 1 15,378
NL 0 #344 48 2,481
BO Boys 0 #350 300 9,244
CN Girls 0 #352 8 8,829
SD Girls 0 #356 3 7,678
France Boys 2021 #358 30 2,865
MU Girls 0 #361 2 8,539
UY Boys 0 #378 22 5,922
JO Boys 0 #382 8 7,057
PA Boys 0 #383 99 9,305
EG 0 #390 11 6,387
YE 0 #392 7 8,639
CO 0 #395 86 7,768
CL 0 #401 11 6,867
MX 0 #401 13 8,339
NL Boys 0 #405 805 5,873
BD Girls 0 #406 1 8,413
ZA 0 #408 40 14,421
Finland Boys 0 #416 12 2,041
Austria Boys 0 #418 25 2,180
Germany 0 #418 20 2,542
SD Boys 0 #419 27 10,523
Spain 0 #421 32 2,326
OM Girls 0 #422 3 15,987
PH Girls 0 #427 3 13,098
CM Boys 0 #433 119 12,054
AR Boys 0 #437 31 7,628
RU Boys 0 #460 46 12,621
PT Girls 0 #471 1 7,952
SG Boys 0 #473 231 17,960
RU Girls 0 #487 12 11,913
CL Boys 0 #489 184 13,390
LY 0 #518 18 12,703
PA Girls 0 #518 1 9,861
IQ Girls 0 #525 1 11,303
PS Boys 0 #533 16 10,655
IR Boys 0 #535 18 10,162
BH 0 #538 16 17,937
GT Girls 0 #539 3 7,500
NL Girls 0 #541 474 5,933
AE Girls 0 #544 10 20,968
IR Girls 0 #545 1 8,334
PS Girls 0 #547 1 10,981
CM Girls 0 #556 5 11,671
KW Girls 0 #558 4 19,177
BD Boys 0 #564 13 10,045
CR Girls 0 #572 2 11,342
SG Girls 0 #574 13 18,916
IL Boys 0 #591 17 10,983
HK Girls 0 #594 22 16,104
LB 0 #644 15 13,263
IL Girls 0 #645 1 11,648
MY Boys 0 #646 519 25,439
MX Boys 0 #647 358 16,355
IQ Boys 0 #649 19 13,071
BO Girls 0 #650 2 9,488
QA Boys 0 #659 49 18,093
Spain Boys 0 #660 282 5,610
IT 0 #667 48 4,183
Finland Boys 2026 #669 14 3,552
ZA Boys 0 #730 514 25,619
United States Boys 2024 #740 153 7,044
KW Boys 0 #741 29 18,755
SY 0 #760 8 11,684
NG Girls 0 #768 19 15,093
Germany Boys 0 #777 176 5,697
TN 0 #793 37 13,765
EG Boys 0 #810 77 15,035
NG Boys 0 #830 122 16,906
OM Boys 0 #855 27 17,948
CL Girls 0 #910 6 14,098
BR Girls 0 #914 28 12,708
SA Girls 0 #921 15 25,931
PE Girls 0 #934 10 14,861
EG Girls 0 #938 22 14,742
MY Girls 0 #969 26 24,821
Spain Girls 0 #972 12 5,561
IN Boys 0 #978 24 16,750
AE Boys 0 #998 95 22,615
DZ 0 #1,053 124 20,130
CO Girls 0 #1,056 23 16,140
MA 0 #1,063 66 20,986
IT Boys 0 #1,102 375 10,046
ZA Girls 0 #1,109 33 25,928
TR 0 #1,180 32 19,440
MX Girls 0 #1,261 7 17,781
IT Girls 0 #1,433 14 9,415
SA Boys 0 #1,462 153 28,008

Will is popular in 88 countries — most recent births per country:

Canada
France
Ireland
United States
Scotland, United Kingdom

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Will

Will is a unisex name, given to both boys and girls.
Will is a one syllable name, pronounced WIL.
Common nicknames and spelling variations include William, Wil, Wille, Willie, Willy and Wilhelm.
Yes, very popular — Will ranked #1 in Ireland in 2025, and appears in official birth registries across 8 countries.
Will ranks highest in Ireland (#1 in 2025).
Yes — 24 notable people named Will are in our database, including William McKinley (Politician), Will Smith (Actor), William Shatner (Actor).