Willow
WIL-oh /ˈwɪl.oʊ/
Meaning of Willow
Willow is from the Old English welig — the willow tree, associated in European folklore with mourning, grace and healing. As a given name it is part of the modern nature-name wave; it was nearly unused before 2000 and has been steadily climbing since, driven partly by celebrity use (Will Smith named his daughter Willow in 2000) and the general preference for soft, three-syllable nature names.
Current popularity of Willow
Rankings from the most recent fully-published year in each national registry. Source links at the foot of the page.
| Registry | Year | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| United States (SSA) | 2024 | #77 |
| United Kingdom (ONS) | 2024 | #23 |
Notable bearers of Willow
Willow Smith (singer, daughter of Will Smith); Willow (the 1988 film); Willow Rosenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer).
Similar names & variants
Cognates, spelling variants and close relatives. Click any name with an underline to read its own page.
Sibling-name suggestions
Names that pair stylistically with Willow — useful as middle names or for siblings.
About this entry
Compiled by the Baby Name Finder editorial team following the rules in our Methodology and Editorial guidelines. If you spot an error, please tell us; our corrections policy is at /editorial-guidelines#corrections.
Sources
Last reviewed: 2026-05-31