Willoughby
First Name Meaning, Usage, Popularity & Related Names
Willoughby is an Old Norse name meaning “willow farm”. It is a rare name, predominantly used for boys, with 96.69% male usage.
Meaning & Origin of the name Willoughby
Willoughby is a name of Old Norse and Old English origin, meaning willow farm. It combines the word *wilge*, for willow tree, and *byr*, meaning a farm or settlement. This name originated as a habitational identifier for those residing near a significant grove of willows in England.
Meaning Comments
- Flameguardi1: I really like it. It works on boys and girls and I think I prefer it over Willow.
- Tuningcarske: I only like it pronounced Will-o-bee, not Will-ǝ-bee. But I still really like it, and there are plenty of good nickname choices.
- Alina_falcon: Honestly, I really like it, and there are some good nickname choices.
Gender Usage of the Name Willoughby
Overall Gender Classification Methodology
Willoughby is predominantly used as a name for boys. Approximately 96.69% of recorded bearers are male. This classification is supported by a large number of recorded bearers.
Popularity of the Name Willoughby
Note: Green bars show popularity (% of births); the violet line shows historical ranking. Data is based on official government birth records. Click any chart to view details by year and region.
Overall PopularityMethodology
Willoughby is listed under Rare Boy Names worldwide. Its popularity varies considerably across the available regional markets, with the strongest usage in United Kingdom.
| Region | Popularity | Birth Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Extremely-Rare | — |
| United Kingdom | Common | 1 in every 177K births |
| Canada | Rare | 1 in every 10.4M births |
| Australia | Uncommon | 1 in every 1.32M births |
Ranking OverviewMethodology
Willoughby ranked #5,172 on the Popular Boys’ Names Worldwide List (2025). This year the name appears in the official list for this region after being absent in the prior official year. Newly recorded in the latest official lists, Willoughby shows early signs of usage.
Historically, its best recorded position was #1,444 in 1975. Its lowest recorded position was #8,787 in 2021. Over the last 8 years (2017–2025) the name fell -1385 places (from #3,787 to #5,172).
Name StyleMethodology
Willoughby is classified as Vintage Boy Names because its historical peak was 2008, followed by a decline to 0% of that peak and a recent recovery to 2.2x the preceding level.Characteristics of the Name Willoughby
Pronunciation & StructureMethodology
- Phonetic Source
- CMU
- Syllables
- 3 syllables — Three-Syllable Boy Names
- Length
- 10 letters — Very Long Boy Names
- Starts with
- W — Boy Names Starting with W
- Ends with
- y — Boy Names Ending in “y”
Name AestheticMethodology
Willoughby uses three syllables and a soft, rolling cadence that feels both expansive and cultivated. It is recognized as a character name in Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility, reflecting aristocratic literary tones. The name remains an Elegant & Timeless and Vintage Revival choice due to its linguistic history.
Middle Names For Willoughby
Middle names used with WilloughbyMethodology
Willoughby is most frequently used with these boy middle names: Willoughby Harland · Willoughby Alexander · Willoughby Rinard · Willoughby Walter · Willoughby Henry
- Total 18 middle names used with Willoughby
- 6 girl middle names used with Willoughby
- 7 unisex middle names used with Willoughby
Middle name suggestions for WilloughbyMethodology
Based on observed first-middle-name pattern combinations, Willoughby is most frequently associated with boy middle names that have 2 syllables, Strong–Weak stress pattern, 5 letters, and a starting sound of “d”.
Examples: Willoughby David · Willoughby Devon · Willoughby Dylan · Willoughby Derek · Willoughby Dewey. View all 140 suggested middle names.
Names Similar to Willoughby
Same Starting Sound Finder
Names that begin with a similar phonetic sound: William · Walter · Willie · View all Top 100 names
Rhymes With Willoughby Finder
Names that share similar ending sounds and rhymes: Anthony · Timothy · Jeffrey · View all Top 100 names
Same Rhythm & Syllables Finder
Names with matching syllable stress and pronunciation rhythm: Christopher · Anthony · Timothy · View all Top 100 names
Dictionary & Etymology of “Willoughby”
Dictionary Meaning of "Willoughby"Methodology
Any of several placenames in England and elsewhere
Show details
- A village in Willoughby with Sloothby parish, East Lindsey district, Lincolnshire, England (OS grid ref TF4771).
- A village and civil parish in Rugby district, Warwickshire, England (OS grid ref SP5167).
- A city in Lake County, Ohio, United States.
- An unincorporated community in Albemarle County, Virginia, United States.
- A suburb of Sydney, New South Wales.
- A local government area in New South Wales, Australia, named after the suburb within it; in full, the City of Willoughby.
A habitational surname
A male given name transferred from the surname
More Info
How to Spell Willoughby in ASL
- W
- i
- l
- l
- o
- u
- g
- h
- b
- y
Comments on the name Willoughby
Community CommentsShowing 5 of 7 comments
Eatalotapuss
I've only heard it used as a surname.
Hereticmagg
Despite it generally being seen as a male name, Willoughby is the name of my great great great great grandmother (born 1815 in Norfolk, England) and is primarily used as a female name in Norfolk from at least the early 1700s.
The_cobra_01
In The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken, the owner of Willoughby Chase is Sir Willoughby Green.
Kitedraglum
The Wolves of Willoughby Chase is a book title by Joan Aiken.
Wolf_flame29
There is a song by Primus called Sathington Willoughby and it's quite brilliant.