Name Willow
Willow is a feminine name with Latin, English, Celtic origins. It is considered a ubiquitous name that has experienced moderate growth in popularity recently.
Meaning of the name Willow
Origins and Core Meaning
The name Willow originates from the ancient word "salix", which means "near water". It has long been associated with the graceful and resilient tree of the same name, symbolizing flexibility, adaptability, and inner strength. Willow is also believed to represent intuition, healing, and peace.
Detailed Insights on Willow
Origins
Symbolic Representation
As a symbol, the willow tree has been revered for centuries. In ancient Celtic cultures, it was believed to symbolize the connection between the physical and spiritual realms. Willow branches were often used in rituals and ceremonies to represent purification and renewal. In Chinese culture, the willow tree is associated with longevity and grace.
Personality Traits
The name Willow evokes a sense of tranquility and serenity. It conveys a calming and gentle nature, like the rustling of willow leaves in the breeze. It also suggests a deep connection with nature and a quiet strength that flows through adversity.
Key Personality Traits
Personal Meanings of the Name Willow
Willow Overview & Analysis
Gender statistics
Willow is predominantly a girl's name with a strong feminine identity. Among 73,568 people named Willow, 73,494 are female and 74 are male resulting in a 99.9% female distribution. This pronounced gender imbalance underscores the name Willow's strong feminine identity.
Data Explanation
This data is sourced from actual birth records, ensuring that the statistics provided are accurate reflections of real naming trends. The percentage has been rounded up for easier readability, but the underlying figures are grounded in factual data, not estimates. This ensures that the information is both reliable and user-friendly, giving a clear and truthful picture of the name Willow's gender association.
Popularity
Willow classified as an ubiquitous name and ranks 844 in the Namedary database. It has experienced moderate growth over the years, and experienced moderate growth recently. The chance of meeting someone named Willow is nearly 0.02%, or about one in 4,000+ people.
Based on the latest data from 2021 (5), 2022 (6), 2023 (5), Willow's year-to-year percentage change in popularity is -2.83%. The name Willow was most popular in 2021, making up 0.18% of baby names (or about one in 500+ babies), and reached its lowest point in 1925 with a usage rate of 0.0002%.
Country-Specific Prevalence
| Flag | Country | Rank | Popularity |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 210 | 0.1% | |
| Australia | 318 | 0.07% | |
| Canada | 487 | 0.03% | |
| New Zealand | 521 | 0.04% | |
| United States | 1,026 | 0.02% |
People named Willow are predominantly found in United Kingdom (UK), particularly in East Wales (EW), where it makes up 0.11% of the population.
Data Source
The data in this section was gathered from a variety of sources, including:
- United States: Social Security Administration (https://www.ssa.gov/)
- Canada: Government of Ontario (https://data.ontario.ca/). Alberta’s top baby names (https://www.alberta.ca/). B.C.'s Most Popular Baby Names (https://www2.gov.bc.ca/)
- United Kingdom: Office for National Statistics (https://www.ons.gov.uk/)
- Australia: Government of South Australia (https://data.sa.gov.au/). Government of New South Wales (https://www.nsw.gov.au/). Northern Territory Government (https://nt.gov.au/)
- New Zealand: New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs (https://www.data.govt.nz/)
- Supplemental Sources: To enrich our data-driven approach, we supplement our primary sources with information from credible websites, academic publications, and expert opinions. This ensures that we provide a well-rounded perspective on baby names.
To enhance readability, percentages are rounded up. Values less than 0.0015% have been omitted.
Additional Information on Willow
Pronunciation and Phonetics
- Name
- Willow
- Pronunciation
- wil-low
- w-ih-l-oh
- WIHL-OW
- wil-oh
- IPA Notation
- wɪˈlowˌ
- Syllable
- Stressed:wil-low, wil-low
- Syllable Count:2 Syllables
Chinese Translation of the Name Willow
- Translation
- 威洛
- Pronunce
- (PinYin) : wēi Luò
- Feng Shui
- 威Earth洛Water
Willow in Numerology
| W | I | L | L | O | W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | 6 | ||||
| 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 |
Applying the rules of numerology (Pythagorean numerology):
Willow's Soul Number (Heart's Desire Number): Number 6
- You embrace your true self while nurturing others, caring for, and being close to those you love.
- You aspire to bring love, beauty, and harmony into the world so that everyone can feel happy, loved, and healed.
- You are driven by beauty, love, family, relationships, and serving and caring for others.
Willow's Expression Number (Personality Number): Number 7
- You pursue self-fulfillment by doing your own thing and learning in your own way.
- You experience immense joy and satisfaction when you achieve something and discover it yourself, rather than relying on others.
Willow's Destiny Number (Life Path Number): Number 4
- You are hardworking, dedicated, loyal, trustworthy, and driven to build highly organized structures that provide long-term value.
- You demonstrate unwavering commitment until the task is completed.
Famous People Named Willow
- Willow Palin: American media personality and daughter of former Alaska governor Sarah Palin.
- Willow Smith: American singer, songwriter, and actress, daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
- Willow Creek: A popular tourist destination in Arizona known for its scenic beauty and hiking trails.
User-Submitted Information about Willow
Kittykat250
My youngest daughter is named Willow who is 8. One of the reasons we chose the beautiful name, was we didn't want anyone to shorten it or for her to have to have the same popular name as other kids at school. So, when she was born in 2016 it wasn't a popular name, or so we thought. As we hadn't heard it a lot. We were at a family movie at a movie theater and there were 4 other Willows sitting around us. I told my husband I was definitely calling her Willa from now on! (She does have 2 beautiful middle names Alice Renee she could go by. But one is her sister that passed b4 she was born & the other her maternal grandmother who is still living. So neither are very appropriate to go by for alternate names). And yes. Her 2 older sisters have not as common names. Brisa (Spanish name) and Zoey.
Nyaxia
Willow is also used as a masculine given name in English. However, it's more common for females. So, I think that the "Gender" of this name should be updated from "Feminine" to "Feminine & Masculine".
Source: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unisex_name?searchToken=43l9q2r3fqsrtdmqp35kb1xp5Pure_ftx
Willow can be a masculine name too.
Conclusion
The name Willow encapsulates a beautiful harmony of nature and human qualities. It represents resilience, intuition, peace, and a deep connection to the natural world. Whether as a name or a symbol, Willow evokes a sense of tranquility, strength, and endless possibilities.
Largon62
Before you name your child this, I'd also like to mention that the willow tree is also traditionally associated with sorrow and mourning. A bit of a heavy thing to bestow on a child as her first name, although it works well as a middle name or as a character in a story, especially one of those old, wise mentors who gives her life for the protagonist (think female Gandalf). Although I might be channeling Grandmother Willow (who actually was a Willow tree) in the Disney movie Pocahontas for the last part. :)
Functionalis
I love the name Willow, it's so nice, and gentle. But when I think of the name, I think tree.
Uns56
I am also writing a story where the main character is named Willow. I picked the name for it's beauty, and darkness. However since I've already used the name for a story I doubt I'll ever use it if I ever have a daughter.