Total births
368
Boys' name · since 1914
Willson
Since 1914, U.S. Social Security records show 368 babies named Willson, peaking in 2014. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #12461
- among boys today
- 368
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
368 babies have been named Willson since 1914, making it today's #12461 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willson has been recorded 368 times among boys since 1914, currently ranked #12461 nationally and more common than 13% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2010s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1914 to 2025.
- #12461 among boys today
- 368 born since 1914
- 2010s peak decade
- 13% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Willson is currently the #12461 boys' name in America, more common than 13% of boys - 368 born since 1914, peaking in the 2010s.
- #12461
- among boys today
- 368
- born since 1914
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 13%
- more common than other boys
Willson vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#12461
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 13% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
27% of everyone ever named Willson was born in this single decade.
2014
Single peak year
14 babies were named Willson in 2014 - its busiest year on record.
How Willson compares
368 Top 50% higher than 50% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Willson's all-time total is 0% above the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Willson | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 368 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 14 | 23 | 22,252 |
Willson's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Willson's SSA record in two at 2000 and the more recent half accounts for 59% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 41%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1917, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 2014 peak of 14, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Willson at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2014
Current rank
#12,461
Active since
1914
Willson popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1914–2025
- Peak year (2014)
- 14
- Annual births at peak, across 112 years of records
Willson by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Willson's strongest decade.
100 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 27% of all-time use.
Willson births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 29
1910s
29 births
- 1920s 21
1920s
21 births
- 1930s 10
1930s
10 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1970s 5
1970s
5 births
- 1980s 21
1980s
21 births
- 1990s
1990s
61 births
- 2000s
2000s
68 births
- 2010s
2010s
100 births
- 2020s
2020s
48 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 100 births (27% of all-time use).
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Willson? ▼
Willson has been given to 368 babies in the U.S. since 1914, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #12461 as of the latest data. 14 babies were born in 2014, its single highest year.
When was Willson most popular? ▼
Willson was most popular in the 2010s decade with 100 total births. The single peak year was 2014.
How long has the name Willson been used? ▼
Willson has been recorded in Social Security data since 1914, spanning 112 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Willson? ▼
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 Willson's data
- Willson's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (100 total births) through the 2020s (48) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- 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 Willson
Nearby Names Like Willson
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Willson
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 Willson side by side: Willson vs William Willson vs Willie Willson vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Willson
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, 1914–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Willson: #12461 Boys' Name - 368 Births, Peak 2014." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/willson. 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 Willson 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.