NameChart

Willard

Boy name

Willard has been given to 78,542 babies in the U.S. since 1880. It peaked in 1915.

Meaning & origin /ˈwɪləɹd/

From Old English wil (“will”) + heard (“brave, strong”).

Origin: Old English

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Popularity over time births per year, 1880–2025

07221.445k2.167k2.889k 18801900192019401960198020002020 Girls Boys
Hover or tap the chart to read any year.

Total babies

78,542

Peak year

1915 (2,924 babies)

Rank in 2025

Below top 1000

First recorded

1880

10-year trend

▲ +7%

Gender split

1% girls / 99% boys

Famous people named Willard

Will Smith

American actor, film producer and rapper (born 1968)

Mitt Romney

American politician and businessman (born 1947)

Willard Libby

American physical chemist

Willard Boyle

Canadian physicist and inventor (1924–2011)

Notability data from Wikidata (CC0).

Names with a similar vibe

Same primary gender, peaked around the same years, and roughly as common as Willard.

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