Willis

The first name Willis originates from a surname that can be traced back to William, an English variant of the old German name Wilhelm. It carries the meanings 'the determined protector' as well as 'the strong-willed defender'.

What does the name Willis mean?

Willis is originally derived from a surname associated with William, an English form of the historical German name Wilhelm. The meaning of the name includes 'the determined protector' and 'the strong-willed defender'. The roots of the two-part name can be found in Old High German, derived from the elements willio, which stands for 'the will' or 'determination', and helm, which means 'the helmet', 'the covering', 'the protection', or 'the shield'. Other variants include Wil, Will, Willo, Wilke, Wilko, Wilken, Wilkin, Wilk, Williko, and Willio. A prominent bearer of this name is the actor Bruce Willis.

Where does the name Willis come from?

The etymology of Willis is of Old High German nature and means 'the determined protector'. The composition in Old High German includes willio, which means 'the will' or 'determination', and helm, which means 'the helmet', 'the covering', 'the protection', or 'the shield'. Languages: Old English, English.

How do you pronounce Willis?

Willis is pronounced like 'Will-iss'.

When is the name day of Willis?

The name day for Willis is celebrated on several days, including January 1, January 10, February 10, March 28, April 6, April 20, May 28, June 8, June 25, June 27, June 30, September 6, and November 13.

Popularity

In Germany, Willis is a rather rare first name. Currently, it ranks 5,840th on the list of the most popular male names. Its best placement was in 2012 at 3,479th. In the last ten years, Willis has been chosen as a first name about 20 times, placing it at 6,103rd in the ten-year statistics. Between 2010 and 2024, it ranks 5,432nd.

Famous people

• Willis A. Ritchie (architect)
• Willis Ben Bouchey (character actor)
• Willis Brown (director from the USA)
• Willis Burks II (voice actor)
• Willis E. Davis (American landscape painter)
• Willis Feasey (skier from New Zealand)
• Willis G. Hale (architect from the USA)
• Willis Gaylord Clark (American poet)
• Willis George Emerson (novelist)
• Willis Goldbeck (American film director)
• Willis Hall (English playwright)
• Willis Kent (film producer from the USA)
• Willis P. Sweatnam (Broadway actor)
• Willis Polk (American architect)
• Willis Todhunter Ballard (American author)
• Willis Vernon Cole (American poet)
• Willis White (American singer)