Will
Literal root meaning: “will + helmet”
About the name Will
Will is a boy name with Proto-Germanic roots, literally “will + helmet”. It is related to William, which is where the meaning comes from.
It has a unique, short & sweet feel. In 2025, Will ranked #1195 for boys in the US, with 170 babies given the name. Its peak year since 1940 was 2005. Since 2000, 100% of US babies named Will were boys.
Etymology
A diminutive of William, which comes from Proto-Germanic, meaning “will” + “helmet”.
Name meaning adapted from Wiktionary (“Will”, “William”) by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- US rank 2025
- #1195
- In 2015
- #835
- Babies in 2025
- 170
Popularity of Will, 1940–2025
Latest SSA data: 2025.
Popularity data: U.S. Social Security Administration national baby names (public domain; names given to at least 5 babies of one sex per year).
Nicknames for Will
Will is already short and sweet, so it doesn't usually get a nickname.
Names similar to Will
Name meanings marked or linked “Wiktionary” are adapted from Wiktionary by Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; each name page links its source entry.