Wil
Wil was the 13797th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1998, when it ranked 2124th; the most babies were born in 2005 (48). Over the last ten years it has moved down 8,747 places. More babies were named Wil in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as Will) short form of William; "will + helmet" · Germanic, English
- Rank in 2025
- #13,797 boys, down 3,250 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 5boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 200548 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,094babies recorded
What does the name Wil mean?
Wil is a spelling of Will, pronounced the same way, so it shares Will's meaning and origin.
Will is the short form of William, and less often of other names beginning with Wil-, such as Wilfred and Willard. William is a Germanic name made of willo, "will, desire", and helm, "helmet, protection". It came to England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and soon became one of the commonest English names. DMNES records English pet forms like Wille from 1379. Will is used as a full name in its own right.
willo (Old High German, “will, desire”)helm (Old High German, “helmet, protection”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: William, Willie, Bill, Liam, Wilfred.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean protector.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Will', Wiktionary (Wikimedia Foundation)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'William', DMNES (Durham University)
- Wikipedia, 'Will (given name)', Wikipedia (Wikimedia Foundation)
Wil popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,797 | 5 |
| 2020 | #10,547 | 7 |
| 2010 | #4,090 | 25 |
| 2000 | #2,424 | 40 |
| 1990 | #2,370 | 30 |
| 1980 | #5,511 | 7 |
| 1970 | #2,889 | 12 |
| 1960 | #4,580 | 5 |
| 1950 | — | — |
| 1940 | — | — |
| 1930 | — | — |
| 1920 | — | — |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Wil, counting every spelling?
Wil is a spelling of Will, a name family that ranked #1,120 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #13,797 for Wil on its own. Together these spellings went to 175 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will | 170 | #1,195 | 886 |
| Wil | 5 | #13,797 | 38 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Wil?
5 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Wil (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Wil born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 1,661 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Wil.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Wil?
About 1,100 people born in the US named Wil are alive today, with a median age of 26; half are between 19 and 34. That makes Wil mostly worn by children and young adults.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Wil: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Wil, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Wil
What does Wil mean?
Wil is a spelling of Will, which means “short form of William; "will + helmet"” (Germanic, English origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Wil?
Wil was the 13797th most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 5 babies. Its best year was 1998, when it ranked 2124th; the most babies were born in 2005 (48). Over the last ten years it has moved down 8,747 places. More babies were named Wil in the 2000s than in any other decade.
Is Wil a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Wil in the US.