William Boy
WIHL-yuhm
“resolute protector” · Germanic
#9
Names That Start with W
152 names
W is a letter that Latin did not use, so most W names come from Germanic and Old English sources rather than Latin or Greek. William and Walter are both Germanic names that came to England with the Normans and stayed in use. Willa is a feminine form of William that has a soft, vintage feel.
Many W names are English surnames and place names. Wyatt is a medieval surname, Wesley comes from a place name meaning western meadow, and Weston means western town. Winston is another place name, now closely associated with a British prime minister. Walker is an occupational surname tied to cloth making, Warren comes from a Norman place name, and Wade is a surname linked to a river crossing. Waylon has a country music flavor.
Nature names add a gentle side to this list. Willow is a graceful tree, Wren is a small songbird, and Winter and Wynter evoke the season. If you like Wynter, note that the y spelling sometimes needs explaining. The w sound blends smoothly with most surnames, but if yours also starts with W, consider whether you like the alliteration. William and Walter come with built-in nicknames, while Wren and Wade are already short and need none.
Most popular right now
Wyatt Boy
WY-uht
“brave in war” · English
#38
Wesley Boy
WEHS-lee
“west meadow” · Old English
#52
Willow Girl
WIH-loh
“willow tree” · English
#44
Weston Boy
WEHS-tuhn
“western town” · Old English
#55
Waylon Boy
WAY-luhn
“form of Wayland, the legendary smith” · English
#56
Walker Boy
WAW-kur
“cloth fuller” · English
#78
Walter Boy
WAWL-tur
“ruler of the army” · Germanic
#252
Warren Boy
WAWR-uhn
“game park, or from a French place name” · French
#240
Wren Girl
REHN
“wren, a small songbird” · English
#231
All 152 names
Sorted by current popularity. US rank uses 2025 data for the name's most common sex; the trend compares births with five years earlier. Tap a column heading to re-sort.
| Name | Sex | Meaning | Origin | US rank 2025 | 5-yr trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William | Boy | resolute protector | Germanic | 9 | ↓ -17% |
| Wyatt | Boy | brave in war | English | 38 | ↓ -21% |
| Wesley | Boy | west meadow | Old English | 52 | ↑ +50% |
| Willow | Girl | willow tree | English | 44 | ↑ +8% |
| Weston | Boy | western town | Old English | 55 | ↑ +60% |
| Waylon | Boy | form of Wayland, the legendary smith | English | 56 | ↑ +51% |
| Walker | Boy | cloth fuller | English | 78 | ↑ +126% |
| Walter | Boy | ruler of the army | Germanic | 252 | ↑ +11% |
| Warren | Boy | game park, or from a French place name | French | 240 | ↑ +57% |
| Wren | Girl | wren, a small songbird | English | 231 | ↑ +54% |
| Wade | Boy | at the river ford | Old English | 344 | → +0% |
| Winter | Girl | winter | English | 426 | ↓ -28% |
| Winston | Boy | from an English place name | English | 382 | ↑ +14% |
| Willa | Girl | will, desire; protection | English | 422 | ↓ -16% |
| Wynter | Girl | form of Winter | English | 457 | ↓ -18% |
| Wilson | Boy | son of Will | English | 673 | → +1% |
| Whitney | Girl | white island | Old English | 1,046 | ↓ -13% |
| Wilder | Boy | wild, untamed | English | 431 | ↑ +7% |
| Wrenley | Girl | modern blend of Wren and -ley | American (modern coinage) | 159 | ↑ +526% |
| Wendy | Girl | popularized by Peter Pan | English | 1,347 | ↓ -16% |
| Wayne | Boy | wagon maker, carter | English | 655 | ↑ +38% |
| Westin | Boy | west town | English | 689 | ↑ +30% |
| Wells | Boy | springs, wells | English | 347 | ↑ +81% |
| Willie | Boy | will, desire and protection | English | 1,322 | ↓ -32% |
| Will | Boy | will, desire and protection | English | 1,195 | ↓ -28% |
| Whitley | Girl | white clearing | Old English | 677 | ↑ +55% |
| Winnie | Girl | short form of Winifred or Edwina | English | 475 | ↑ +83% |
| Westley | Boy | west meadow | English | 619 | ↑ +39% |
| Waverly | Girl | quaking aspen meadow | English | 1,028 | ↓ -34% |
| Watson | Boy | son of Wat (Walter) | English | 1,011 | ↓ -51% |
| Wes | Boy | short form of Wesley; west meadow | English | 716 | ↑ +74% |
| Wallace | Boy | foreigner, Welshman | Scottish | 964 | → -1% |
| Westyn | Boy | west town (variant of Weston) | English | 724 | ↑ +167% |
| Wesson | Boy | from an English surname | English | 919 | → -4% |
| Wrenlee | Girl | blend of Wren and Lee | American (modern coinage) | 358 | ↑ +825% |
| Wiley | Boy | from an English surname | English | 1,226 | → -1% |
| Wylder | Boy | variant of Wilder; untamed | American (modern coinage) | 671 | ↑ +161% |
| Winifred | Girl | blessed reconciliation; friend of peace | Welsh | 923 | ↑ +28% |
| Wylie | Unisex | from a surname; uncertain | Scottish | 1,182 | ↑ +113% |
| Waylen | Boy | variant of Waylon | American (modern coinage) | 849 | ↑ +163% |
| Winona | Girl | firstborn daughter | Native American | 627 | ↑ +203% |
| Wynn | Unisex | fair, blessed; also 'joy' | Welsh | 1,726 | ↑ +51% |
| Wilmer | Boy | desire, famous | Germanic | 1,742 | ↑ +24% |
| Wolfgang | Boy | wolf path | German | 1,519 | ↓ -13% |
| Wilhelmina | Girl | resolute protector | German | 1,517 | ↑ +31% |
| Warner | Boy | army guard; from a Norman surname | English | 1,365 | ↑ +20% |
| Wisdom | Unisex | wisdom | English | 1,251 | ↑ +290% |
| Westen | Boy | variant of Weston, west town | English | 1,239 | ↑ +100% |
| West | Boy | west; from an English surname | English | 1,255 | ↑ +96% |
| Wendell | Boy | from the Vandal tribe name | Germanic | 2,165 | → 0% |
| Willem | Boy | Dutch form of William, resolute protector | Dutch | 2,601 | ↓ -15% |
| Winslow | Unisex | Wine's hill; English place name | Old English | 1,169 | ↑ +276% |
| Wrenleigh | Girl | wren with the -leigh ending | English | 685 | ↑ +1236% |
| Willis | Boy | son of Will; English surname | English | 2,567 | ↓ -16% |
| Woodrow | Boy | row of houses by a wood | Old English | 1,653 | ↑ +12% |
| Wolf | Boy | wolf | German | 1,902 | → +1% |
| Winry | Girl | modern name from an anime character | — | 1,524 | ↑ +59% |
| Wednesday | Girl | Woden's day | English | 3,970 | ↓ -51% |
| Wilfredo | Boy | Spanish form of Wilfred: desiring peace | Spanish | 3,747 | ↓ -30% |
| Witten | Boy | from a surname or place name | German | 3,179 | ↓ -62% |
| Wrenly | Girl | wren with -ly | American (modern coinage) | 1,205 | ↑ +232% |
| Weslee | Unisex | variant of Wesley, "west meadow" | English | 2,600 | ↑ +19% |
| Wrigley | Unisex | English surname, origin uncertain | English | 2,794 | ↑ +7% |
| Williams | Boy | son of William | Welsh | 3,086 | ↑ +8% |
| Willard | Boy | resolute and brave | English | 2,760 | ↑ +7% |
| Waylan | Boy | variant of Wayland | English | 2,599 | ↑ +6% |
| Wilber | Boy | variant of Wilbur | English | 4,039 | ↓ -32% |
| Waleed | Boy | newborn child | Arabic | 3,122 | → -2% |
| Willy | Boy | diminutive of William, will helmet | Germanic | 4,041 | ↓ -29% |
| Ward | Boy | guard, watchman | Old English | 2,877 | ↓ -6% |
| Wilbert | Boy | bright will, bright desire | Germanic | 5,031 | ↓ -26% |
| Wali | Boy | guardian, friend | Arabic | 2,448 | ↑ +8% |
| Weldon | Boy | hill with a spring | Old English | 2,793 | ↑ +15% |
| Wayde | Boy | variant of Wade; ford | Old English | 2,714 | ↑ +20% |
| Wayland | Boy | legendary smith; meaning uncertain | Old English | 2,301 | ↑ +118% |
| Walden | Boy | from an English place name | English | 3,233 | ↓ -16% |
| Wilma | Girl | short form of Wilhelmina; will helmet | German | 3,705 | ↑ +8% |
| Whit | Boy | short for Whitney or Whitman, "white" | English | 1,958 | ↑ +84% |
| Windsor | Unisex | from an English place name | English | 5,714 | ↓ -39% |
| Winnifred | Girl | variant of Winifred, 'blessed reconciliation' | Welsh | 2,540 | ↑ +35% |
| Wynne | Girl | fair, blessed | Welsh | 4,456 | → -3% |
| Wilfred | Boy | desiring peace | English | 3,844 | ↑ +7% |
| Walton | Boy | from an English surname and place name | English | 2,449 | ↑ +33% |
| Weslie | Girl | variant of Wesley, west meadow | English | 2,353 | ↑ +152% |
| Walt | Boy | short form of Walter, "army ruler" | English | 3,376 | ↓ -17% |
| Wilbur | Boy | from an English surname, meaning uncertain | English | 4,040 | ↑ +29% |
| Wanda | Girl | uncertain, perhaps from the Vandals | Polish | 6,096 | ↑ +11% |
| Wellington | Boy | from an English place name and surname | English | 4,382 | ↓ -44% |
| Wheeler | Boy | occupational surname, 'wheel maker' | English | 3,507 | ↑ +94% |
| Walid | Boy | newborn | Arabic | 5,382 | ↑ +20% |
| Wilhelm | Boy | will helmet; resolute protector | German | 4,133 | → 0% |
| Willian | Boy | Portuguese form of William, 'resolute protector' | Portuguese | 5,033 | ↑ +54% |
| Woodson | Boy | son of Wood | English | 2,450 | ↑ +100% |
| Wynona | Girl | variant of Winona, firstborn daughter | Native American | 2,820 | ↑ +118% |
| Wilton | Boy | willow farm | Old English | 6,118 | ↑ +25% |
| Webb | Boy | weaver | English | 5,839 | ↓ -30% |
| Wil | Boy | short form of William | English | 13,797 | ↓ -29% |
| Wesly | Boy | variant of Wesley, west meadow | American (modern coinage) | 6,781 | ↑ +44% |
| Wright | Boy | craftsman, maker | Old English | 4,383 | → +4% |
| Wally | Boy | short form of Walter or Wallace | English | 5,838 | ↑ +7% |
| Wiliam | Boy | variant of William, resolute protection | English | 6,783 | ↑ +117% |
| Wendi | Girl | variant of Wendy | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Webster | Boy | weaver | English | 7,165 | → 0% |
| Washington | Boy | estate of Wassa's people | English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Woody | Boy | wooded, or short form of Woodrow | English | 8,220 | → 0% |
| Werner | Boy | protecting army | German | 8,214 | new |
| Worth | Boy | enclosure, homestead | Old English | 6,784 | ↑ +160% |
| Wendall | Boy | variant of Wendell | German | 9,649 | ↓ -20% |
| Windy | Girl | variant of Wendy, or the word windy | English | 14,835 | → 0% |
| Wilford | Boy | willow ford, from an English place | English | 8,872 | ↑ +29% |
| Wyman | Boy | from an Old English name with battle | Old English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Wallis | Girl | variant of Wallace, foreigner | Scottish | 11,862 | ↓ -38% |
| Winfield | Boy | from an English place name | Old English | 9,659 | ↓ -11% |
| Waldo | Boy | rule | Germanic | 11,906 | → 0% |
| Winton | Boy | from an English place name | Old English | 10,625 | new |
| Wendel | Boy | variant of Wendell | Germanic | 13,792 | new |
| Winfred | Boy | variant of Winfrid, joy and peace | Old English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Wardell | Boy | from an English surname | Old English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Whittney | Girl | variant of Whitney, white island | Old English | — | new |
| Waymon | Boy | variant of Wayman, road man | English | 11,910 | new |
| Wanita | Girl | variant of Juanita | Spanish | — | new |
| Waldemar | Boy | famous ruler | Germanic | 13,790 | new |
| Wendolyn | Girl | variant of Gwendolyn | Welsh | 11,865 | new |
| Windell | Boy | variant of Wendell | Germanic | 10,623 | new |
| Winthrop | Boy | from an English place name, Wina's village | English | — | new |
| Wayman | Boy | from an English surname | English | — | new |
| Welton | Boy | from an English place name, spring farm | English | — | new |
| Wenona | Girl | firstborn daughter | Native American | — | new |
| Wilfrid | Boy | will and peace | Old English | — | ↓ -100% |
| Wilda | Girl | uncertain; possibly Germanic, or from wild | German | — | new |
| Wilburn | Boy | from an English surname | English | — | new |
| Waneta | Girl | uncertain; possibly a variant of Juanita | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Winford | Boy | from an English place name | Old English | — | new |
| Wendie | Girl | variant of Wendy | English | — | new |
| Waymond | Boy | variant of Raymond, perhaps with Wayne | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Willia | Girl | feminine of William | Germanic | — | new |
| Willene | Girl | feminine of William | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Woodie | Boy | pet form of Woodrow or Elwood | English | — | new |
| Willette | Girl | feminine of William | Germanic | — | new |
| Willetta | Girl | feminine of William | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Wonda | Girl | variant of Wanda | English | — | new |
| Wava | Girl | — | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Wende | Girl | variant of Wendy | English | — | new |
| Willodean | Girl | blend of Willa and Dean | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Wash | Boy | short form of Washington | English | — | new |
| Wilhelmenia | Girl | variant of Wilhelmina | German | — | new |
| Wanetta | Girl | uncertain; related to Juanita or Wanda | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Wilburt | Boy | variant of Wilbert | English | — | new |
| Williard | Boy | variant of Willard | English | — | new |
| Willena | Girl | feminine of William | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Wynell | Girl | Wyn with -ell | American (modern coinage) | — | new |
| Wenda | Girl | variant of Wendy | English | — | new |