Unisex name · since 1915

Willet

Willet has 94 recorded births since 1915 in federal Social Security data, most heavily in 1926 -- full year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state rankings follow.

94
total births
1915–1940
years on record
1920s
peak decade
40%
born in that decade

Willet is not among the current top-ranked boys names; 94 have been recorded since 1915.

According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willet has been recorded 94 times among boys since 1915, though it is not among the currently most-used boys names, with its heaviest use in the 1920s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1915 to 1940.

  • 94 total births
  • 1915–1940 years on record
  • 1920s peak decade
  • 40% born in that decade

Data updated Jun 2026

The verdict

94 boys have been named Willet since 1915, peaking in the 1920s, last recorded in 1940.

94
total births
1915–1940
years on record
1920s
peak decade
40%
born in that decade
1920s
Peak decade

40% of everyone ever named Willet was born in this single decade.

1926
Single peak year

9 babies were named Willet in 1926 - its busiest year on record.

Willet's usage pattern, beyond the headline number

Willet splits its recorded history at 1926: 54% of all births land in the more recent half, 46% in the earlier half, an evenly balanced pattern over time. The single quietest year was 1916 (5 births) -- compare that against the 1926 peak of 9 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.

Willet at a glance

Last recorded 1940

Total births

94

Since 1915

26 years of records

Peak year

1926

9 births that year

Strongest decade: 1920s

Current rank

Unranked

Outside the modern top-1,000

As of 1940

Active since

1915

Recorded for 26 years

Last year on file: 1940

Willet popularity over time - boys

Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1915–1940

Last recorded 1940
Peak year (1926)
9
Annual births at peak, across 26 years of records
45678910 19151917192319251928193419361940 5

Willet popularity over time - girls

6 total births recorded since 1922 (Willet as girls' name)

Unisex variant - 6 births
6 1922 6

Willet by decade

Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance

1920s was Willet's strongest decade.

38 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 40% of all-time use.

Willet births by decade

Total births in each ten-year window

births

What this shows Peak: 1920s at 38 births (40% of all-time use).

Source U.S. Social Security Administration · Baby Names As of June 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How popular is the name Willet? ▼
94 babies have been named Willet since 1915. It was last recorded in 1940. The peak year was 1926 with 9 births.
When was Willet most popular? ▼
Willet was most popular in the 1920s decade with 38 total births. The single peak year was 1926.
Is Willet a unisex name? ▼
Yes, Willet is used for both boys and girls. As a boy's name it has 94 births, and as a girl's name it has 6 births.
How long has the name Willet been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Willet since 1915 -- 26 years through the most recent 1940 data.
What names are similar to Willet? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include William, Willie, Willard, Wilbur, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.

What to do with Willet's data

  • Willet's decade-level peak was the 1920s (38 total births); usage has since declined to 5 in the 1940s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
  • Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names

Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.

Keep exploring Willet

Nearby Names Like Willet

Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Willet

William Boy
#10 4,199,696 births
Willie Boy
#1364 450,188 births
Willard Boy
#2958 77,658 births
Wilbur Boy
#2959 56,906 births
Willis Boy
#2638 52,336 births

Compare Willet side by side: Willet vs William Willet vs Willie Willet vs Willard

Or pick any two names to compare →

Related Names

Names with a similar number of total births

Ran #12386
94 births · Peak 1979
Adalbert
94 births · Peak 1915
Enio
94 births · Peak 2008
Beryle
94 births · Peak 1918
Toshiyuki
94 births · Peak 1923
Osamu
94 births · Peak 1925
Cassell
94 births · Peak 1922
Mardell
94 births · Peak 1979

Data Sources

Data as of June 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).

According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.

Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1915–1940 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).

State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).

Cite this page

NameAlmanac Editorial. "Willet: Baby Name Since 1915 - 94 Births, Peak 1926." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/willet. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Willet draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.