Names Starting with W

gender
usage
Wace m Old Norman
Norman form of Wazo. This name was borne by a 12th-century Norman poet from the island of Jersey.
Wacław m Polish
Polish form of Václav.
Wacława f Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Wacław.
Wade m English
From an English surname, either Wade 1 or Wade 2.
Wadud m Arabic
Means "lover, affectionate" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الودود (al-Wadud) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Wael m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وائل (see Wail).
Wærmund m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English wær "aware, cautious" and mund "protection", making it a (partial) cognate of Veremund. This was the name of a legendary ancestor of the Mercians according to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.
Wafai m Arabic
Means "loyalty" in Arabic.
Wafi m Arabic
Means "trustworthy, reliable, loyal, perfect" in Arabic.
Wafiya f Arabic
Feminine form of Wafi.
Wafula m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the rainy season", from Luhya ifula meaning "rainy season".
Waheed m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وحيد (see Wahid).
Waheeda f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وحيدة (see Wahida).
Wahid m Arabic
Means "peerless, unique" in Arabic. In Islamic tradition الوحيد (al-Wahid) is one of the 99 names of Allah.
Wahida f Arabic
Feminine form of Wahid.
Wahunsenacawh m Indigenous American, Powhatan
Meaning unknown. This name was borne by a 17th-century chief of the Powhatan people. He was also known as Powhatan, as a result of confusion between his name and his birthplace.
Wahyu m Indonesian
Means "revelation" in Indonesian.
Wail m Arabic
Possibly means "refuge, shelter" in Arabic.
Waimarie f Maori
Means "good luck" in Maori.
Wairimu f Eastern African, Kikuyu
From Kikuyu irimũ meaning "ogre, giant". In the Kikuyu origin legend Wairimu is of one of the nine daughters of Mumbi.
Wakana f Japanese
From Japanese (wa) meaning "harmony, peace" and (kana) meaning "play music, complete", as well as other combinations of kanji that are pronounced the same way.
Walahfrid m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and fridu "peace".
Walaric m Germanic
Old German form of Valéry.
Walburga f German
Means "power of the fortress" from Old German walt meaning "power, authority" and burg meaning "fortress" (or perhaps from Old English cognates, though as an Old English name it is unattested). This was the name of an 8th-century Anglo-Saxon saint who did missionary work in Germany.
Walchelin m Old Norman
Norman form of Vauquelin.
Waldaharjaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Walter.
Waldebert m Germanic
Germanic name composed of the elements walt "power, authority" and beraht "bright". This was the name of a 7th-century Frankish saint from Luxeuil (called Valbert or Gaubert in French).
Waldeburg f Germanic
Old German form of Walburga.
Waldek m Polish
Polish diminutive of Waldemar.
Waldemar m German, Polish, Germanic
From the Old German elements walt "power, authority" and mari "famous", also used as a translation of the Slavic cognate Vladimir.
Waldhar m Germanic
Old German form of Walter.
Waldo 1 m English
From a surname that was derived from the Anglo-Scandinavian given name Waltheof. Its present use in the English-speaking world is usually in honour of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), an American transcendentalist, poet and author. His name came from a surname from his father's side of the family.
Waldo 2 m Germanic
Originally a short form of Germanic names containing the Old Frankish element wald, Old High German walt meaning "power, authority" (Proto-Germanic *waldaz). This was the name of an 8th-century abbot of Reichenau. It was also borne by the 12th-century French merchant Peter Waldo, who founded the religious order of the Waldensians.
Waldomar m Germanic
Old German variant of Waldemar.
Waleed m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وليد (see Walid).
Walela f Indigenous American, Cherokee
From Cherokee ᏩᎴᎳ (walela) meaning "hummingbird".
Walenty m Polish
Polish form of Valentinus (see Valentine 1).
Walentyna f Polish
Polish form of Valentina.
Waleria f Polish
Polish form of Valeria.
Walerian m Polish
Polish form of Valerianus (see Valerian).
Walery m Polish
Polish form of Valerius.
Walhberht m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements walah "foreigner, Celt, Roman" and beraht "bright".
Walherich m Germanic
Old German form of Valéry.
Walid m Arabic
Means "newborn", derived from Arabic ولد (walada) meaning "to give birth". This was the name of the Umayyad caliph who conquered Spain in the 8th century.
Walker m English
From an English surname that referred to the medieval occupational of a walker, also known as a fuller. Walkers would tread on wet, unprocessed wool in order to clean and thicken it. The word ultimately derives from Old English wealcan "to walk".
Wallace m English, Scottish
From a Scottish and English surname that was derived from Norman French waleis meaning "foreigner, Celt, Welshman" (of Germanic origin). It was first used as a given name in honour of Sir William Wallace, a Scottish hero who led the fight against the English in the 13th century.
Wallis m & f English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Wallace. Wallis Simpson (1895-1986) was the divorced woman whom Edward VIII married, which forced him to abdicate the British throne.
Wally m English
Diminutive of Walter or Wallace.
Walpurga f German
Variant of Walburga.
Walt m English
Short form of Walter. A famous bearer was the American animator and filmmaker Walt Disney (1901-1966).
Wálter m Spanish, Portuguese
Spanish and Portuguese variant form of Walter, more common in South America than Europe. It is often written without the diacritic.
Walter m English, German, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Polish, Italian, Germanic
From the Germanic name Waltheri meaning "power of the army", from the elements walt "power, authority" and heri "army". In medieval German tales (notably Waltharius by Ekkehard of Saint Gall) Walter of Aquitaine is a heroic king of the Visigoths. The name was also borne by an 11th-century French saint, Walter of Pontoise. The Normans brought it to England, where it replaced the Old English cognate Wealdhere.... [more]
Waltheof m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name derived from the Old Norse Valþjófr. This was the name of a 12th-century English saint, an abbot of Melrose.
Walther m German, Germanic
German variant of Walter. This name was borne by the 13th-century German poet Walther von der Vogelweide.
Waltheri m Germanic
Old German form of Walter.
Walton m English
From a surname that was originally taken from various Old English place names meaning "stream town", "wood town", or "wall town".
Waltraud f German
From the Old German elements walt "power, authority" and drud "strength". This name was borne by a 7th-century Frankish saint who founded a convent near Mons, Belgium.
Waltraut f German
Variant of Waltraud.
Wamalwa m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the brewing season" in Luhya.
Waman m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "eagle, falcon" in Quechua.
Wambdi m & f Indigenous American, Sioux
Dakota form of Wambli.
Wambli m & f Indigenous American, Sioux
From Lakota waŋblí meaning "eagle".
Wambui f Eastern African, Kikuyu
Means "zebra" in Kikuyu. This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanangwa m & f Southern African, Tumbuka
Means "freedom" in Tumbuka.
Wanda f Polish, English, German, French
Possibly from a Germanic name meaning "a Wend", referring to the Slavic people who inhabited eastern Germany. In Polish legends this was the name of the daughter of King Krak, the legendary founder of Krakow. It was introduced to the English-speaking world by the author Ouida, who used it for the heroine in her novel Wanda (1883).
Wandal m Germanic
Old German form of Wendel.
Wandalin m Germanic
Old German form of Wendelin.
Wanesa f Polish (Modern)
Polish form of Vanessa.
Wangari f Eastern African, Kikuyu
From Kikuyu ngarĩ meaning "leopard". In the Kikuyu origin legend this is the name of one of the nine daughters of Mumbi.
Wangchuk m & f Tibetan, Bhutanese
Means "mighty" in Tibetan, from དབང (dbang) meaning "power" and ཕྱུག (phyug) meaning "wealthy, possessing". This is the Tibetan name for the god Shiva.
Wangi f Indonesian, Malay
Means "fragrant" in Malay and Indonesian.
Wangui f Eastern African, Kikuyu
From Kikuyu ngũi meaning "song leader". This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanjala m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during famine", from Luhya injala meaning "hunger, famine".
Wanjiku f Eastern African, Kikuyu
Meaning unknown. This is one of Mumbi's nine daughters in the Kikuyu origin legend.
Wanjiru f Eastern African, Kikuyu
Possibly from Kikuyu njĩra meaning "way, path". In the Kikuyu origin legend this is the name of one of the nine daughters of Mumbi.
Wanyonyi m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during the weeding season", from Luhya enyonyi meaning "weeds".
Wâpanacâhkos f Indigenous American, Cree
Means "morning star, Venus" in Cree.
Wapasha m Indigenous American, Sioux
Means "red leaf" in Dakota, from waȟpé "leaf" and šá "red". This was the name of several Dakota chiefs.
Waqar m Arabic
Means "majesty, dignity" in Arabic.
Warahran m Middle Persian
Middle Persian form of Bahram.
Waramunt m Germanic
Old German form of Veremund.
Warcisław m Polish (Archaic)
Polish form of Vratislav. This was the name of several dukes of Pomerania.
Ward 1 m English
From an occupational surname for a watchman, derived from Old English weard "guard".
Ward 2 m Dutch
Short form of Eduard.
Warda f Arabic
Means "rose" in Arabic, ultimately a borrowing from an Iranian language.
Wardah f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وردة (see Warda).
Wardell m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "watch hill" in Old English.
Warin m Germanic
Old German name derived from the element war meaning "aware, cautious" (Proto-Germanic *waraz, and the related verbs *warjaną "to ward off" and *warnōną "to ward off").
Warinheri m Germanic
Old German form of Werner.
Wario m Popular Culture
Combination of Mario and Japanese 悪い (warui) meaning "bad, evil". This is the name of Mario's evil counterpart in Nintendo video games, first appearing 1992.
Warner m English
From a Norman surname that was derived from the given name Werner.
Warren m English
From an English surname that was derived either from Norman French warrene meaning "animal enclosure", or else from the town of La Varenne in Normandy. This name was borne by the American president Warren G. Harding (1865-1923).
Warrick m English (Rare)
From a surname that was a variant of Warwick.
Warwick m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from the name of a town in England, itself from Old English wer "weir, dam" and wic "settlement".
Washington m English
From a surname that was originally derived from the name of an English town, itself meaning "settlement belonging to Wassa's people". The given name is usually given in honour of George Washington (1732-1799), commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and the first president of the United States.
Washti f Biblical Hebrew
Biblical Hebrew form of Vashti.
Wasi m Arabic
Means "broad-minded, liberal, learned" in Arabic.
Wasim m Arabic
Means "handsome" in Arabic.
Wassa f Anglo-Saxon
Meaning uncertain. It may be a short form of a longer name such as Wāðsige, composed of the elements wāð "hunt" and sige "victory".
Wassily m Russian
Alternate transcription of Russian Василий (see Vasiliy).
Wassim m Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وسيم (see Wasim).
Wasswa m Eastern African, Ganda
Means "first of twins" in Luganda.
Wasyl m Ukrainian (Polonized)
Polonized form of Vasyl.
Wat m English
Medieval short form of Walter.
Wati f Indonesian, Malay
From a suffix meaning "woman" in Indonesian, ultimately from Sanskrit.
Watse m Frisian
Possibly a Frisian diminutive of Walter.
Watson m English
From an English surname meaning "son of Wat". A famous fictional bearer of the surname was Dr. Watson, the assistant to Sherlock Holmes in Arthur Conan Doyle's mystery stories beginning in 1887.
Wattana f & m Thai
Means "development" in Thai.
Waverly f & m English
From the rare English surname Waverley, derived from the name of a place in Surrey, itself possibly from Old English wæfre "flickering, wavering" and leah "woodland, clearing".... [more]
Wawatam m Indigenous American, Ojibwe
Possibly means "little goose" in Ojibwe. This was the name of an 18th-century chief of the Ottawa people.
Wawrzyniec m Polish
Polish form of Laurentius (see Laurence 1).
Wayan m & f Balinese
From Balinese wayah meaning "old, mature", ultimately from Sanskrit वयस् (vayas) meaning "energy, strength, age". This name is traditionally given to the first-born child.
Wayland m English, Anglo-Saxon Mythology
From Old English Weland, probably derived from the Germanic root *wīlą meaning "craft, cunning". In Germanic legend Weland (called Vǫlundr in Old Norse) was a master smith and craftsman. He was captured and hamstrung by King Niðhad, but took revenge by killing the king's sons.
Waylon m English
Variant of Wayland. This name was popularized by country music singer Waylon Jennings (1937-2002), who was originally named Wayland.
Wayna m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "young boy" in Quechua.
Wayne m English
From an occupational surname meaning "wagon maker", derived from Old English wægn "wagon". Use of it as a given name can be partly attributed to the popularity of the actor John Wayne (1907-1979). Another famous bearer is Canadian hockey player Wayne Gretzky (1961-), generally considered the greatest player in the history of the sport.
Wayra m Indigenous American, Quechua
Means "wind, air" in Quechua.
Wazo m Germanic
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old Frankish element waddi, Old High German wetti meaning "pledge" (Proto-Germanic *wadją), or alternatively the element war meaning "aware, cautious" (Proto-Germanic *waraz).
Wealdhere m Anglo-Saxon
From Old English weald "powerful, mighty" and here "army", making it a cognate of Walter.
Wealdmær m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements weald "powerful, mighty" and mære "famous" (a cognate of Waldemar).
Wealhmær m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wealh "foreigner, Celt" and mære "famous".
Webster m English
From an occupational surname meaning "weaver", derived from Old English webba.
Wedad f Arabic
Alternate transcription of Arabic وداد (see Widad).
Wednesday f Popular Culture
From the name of the day of the week, which was derived from Old English wodnesdæg meaning "Woden's day". On the Addams Family television series (1964-1966) this was the name of the teenaged daughter, based on an earlier unnamed character in Charles Addams' cartoons. Her name was inspired by the popular nursery rhyme line Wednesday's child is full of woe.
Wei m & f Chinese
From Chinese (wēi) meaning "power, pomp", (wēi) meaning "high, lofty, towering" or (wěi) meaning "great, robust, extraordinary". As a feminine name it can come from (wēi) meaning "small" or (wēi) meaning "fern". This name can be formed by other Chinese characters besides those shown here.
Wekesa m Eastern African, Luhya
Means "born during harvest" in Luhya.
Weland m Anglo-Saxon Mythology
Old English form of Wayland.
Wēlandaz m Germanic Mythology (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Wayland.
Weldon m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name meaning "hill near a spring" in Old English.
Wells m English
From an English surname that originally denoted a person who lived near a well or spring, from Middle English wille.
Wemba m Anglo-Saxon (Rare)
Byname derived from Old English wamb meaning "belly".
Wen m & f Chinese
From Chinese (wén) meaning "literature, culture, writing", as well as other characters with a similar pronunciation. A famous bearer was the 2nd-century BC Emperor Wen of Han (posthumous name).
Wenceslao m Spanish
Spanish form of Václav, via the Latinized form Wenceslaus.
Wenceslas m History
Variant of Wenceslaus. This is the usual spelling of Saint Václav's name in English.
Wenceslaus m Medieval Czech (Latinized), History
Medieval Latinized form of Veceslav (see Václav). The spelling may have been influenced by the Czech word věnec meaning "wreath, crown".
Wenche f Norwegian
Norwegian variant of Wenke. A famous bearer is the Norwegian singer Wenche Myhre (1947-), known as Wencke in some countries so as to avoid pronunciation confusion.
Wendel m Dutch (Rare), German (Rare)
Old short form of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil meaning "a Vandal". The Vandals were a Germanic tribe who invaded Spain and North Africa in the 5th century. Their tribal name, which may mean "wanderer", was later applied to other groups such as the Wends, a Slavic people living between the Elbe and the Oder.... [more]
Wendelin m German, Germanic
Old diminutive of Germanic names beginning with the element wentil (see Wendel). Saint Wendelin was a 6th-century hermit of Trier in Germany.
Wendell m English
From a German and Dutch surname that was derived from the given name Wendel. In America this name has been given in honour of the poet Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. (1809-1894) and his son the Supreme Court justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. (1841-1935). The elder's middle name came from his mother's maiden name (which had been brought to America by a Dutch ancestor in the form Wendel, with the extra l added later).
Wendi f English
Variant of Wendy.
Wendy f English
In the case of the character from J. M. Barrie's play Peter Pan (1904), it was created from the nickname fwendy "friend", given to the author by a young friend. However, the name was used prior to the play (rarely), in which case it could be related to the Welsh name Gwendolen and other names beginning with the element gwen meaning "white, blessed". The name only became common after Barrie's play ran.
Wenke f Low German
Low German diminutive of Germanic names containing the element wini meaning "friend".
Wenonah f Literature
Variant of Winona. This spelling of the name was used by the American poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow for the mother of Hiawatha in his 1855 epic poem The Song of Hiawatha.
Wenzel m German
Medieval German form of Václav, via the Latinized form Wenceslaus.
Wenzeslaus m German (Archaic)
German form of Václav, via the Latinized form Wenceslaus.
Wera f Polish
Polish form of Vera 1 or a short form of Weronika.
Werdheri m Germanic
Old German form of Werther.
Werknesh f Eastern African, Amharic
Alternate transcription of Amharic ወርቅነሽ (see Worknesh).
Werner m German, Dutch
From an Old German name derived from the element warin, related to war meaning "aware, cautious", combined with heri meaning "army". This was the name of a 13th-century boy from Oberwesel, Germany who was formerly regarded as a saint. He is no longer recognized as such by the Church. Another famous bearer was the German physicist Werner Heisenberg (1901-1976).
Wernher m German, Germanic
Variant of Werner. A famous bearer was the German-American rocket engineer Wernher von Braun (1912-1977).
Weronika f Polish, Sorbian
Polish and Sorbian form of Veronica.
Werther m German (Rare)
Derived from the Old German elements werd "worthy" and heri "army". Goethe used this name in his novel The Sorrows of Young Werther (1774).
Wes m English
Short form of Wesley.
Wesley m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself meaning "west meadow" from Old English west "west" and leah "woodland, clearing". It has been sometimes given in honour of John Wesley (1703-1791), the founder of Methodism.
Wessel m Frisian, Dutch
Old Frisian diminutive of Werner.
Westley m English
From a surname that was a variant of Wesley.
Weston m English
From an English surname that was derived from a place name, itself from Old English west "west" and tun "enclosure, yard, town".
Wetzel m German (Rare)
Diminutive of Werner.
Whetū f & m Maori
Means "star" in Maori.
Whitaker m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "white field" in Old English.
Whitney f & m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "white island" in Old English. Its popular use as a feminine name was initiated by actress Whitney Blake (1925-2002) in the 1960s, and further boosted in the 1980s by singer Whitney Houston (1963-2012).
Wibke f German
Feminine form of Wiebe.
Wibo m Frisian
Variant of Wiebe.
Wickaninnish m Indigenous American, Nuu-chah-nulth (Anglicized)
Possibly means "having no one in front of him in the canoe" in Nuu-chah-nulth. This was the name of a chief of the Clayoquot in the late 18th century, at the time of European contact.
Widad f Arabic
Means "love" in Arabic.
Widald m Germanic
Old German name composed of the elements witu "wood" and walt "power, authority".
Wide m Frisian
Frisian form of Wido.
Wido m Germanic
Originally a short form of names beginning with the Old Frankish or Old Saxon element widu, Old High German witu meaning "wood" (Proto-Germanic *widuz). This was the name of two 11th-century saints, one from Belgium and one from northern Italy, both commonly called Guido or Guy. From early times this name has been confused with the Latin name Vitus.
Widogast m Germanic
Old German name composed of the elements witu "wood" and gast "guest, stranger".
Widukind m Germanic
Old Saxon name composed of the elements widu "wood" and kind "child". This was the name of an 8th-century Saxon leader who fought against the Franks, in the end unsuccessfully.
Widya f Indonesian
Indonesian form of Vidya.
Wiebe m Frisian, Dutch
Originally a Frisian short form of Wigberht (and other names starting with the Old German element wig meaning "war" and a second element beginning with b).
Wiebke f Frisian, German
Feminine form of Wiebe.
Więcesław m Polish (Archaic)
Older Polish form of Václav.
Wielisław m Polish (Rare)
From an old Slavic name meaning "great glory".
Wiesław m Polish
Short form of Wielisław.
Wiesława f Polish
Feminine form of Wielisław.
Wīgaberhtaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Wigberht.
Wigand m German (Rare), Germanic
Derived from the Old German word wigant meaning "warrior".
Wigberht m Anglo-Saxon, Germanic
Derived from the Old English elements wig "battle" and beorht "bright". This is also a continental Germanic equivalent, derived from the Old German elements wig and beraht. The name was borne by an 8th-century English saint who did missionary work in Frisia and Germany.
Wigbert m German
German form of Wigberht.
Wigbrand m Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements wig "war" and brant "fire, torch, sword".
Wigburg f Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements wig "war" and burg "fortress".
Wighard m Germanic
Old German name composed of the elements wig "battle" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy", a cognate of Wigheard.
Wigheard m Anglo-Saxon
Old English name composed of the elements wig "battle" and heard "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Wigmar m Germanic
Old German form (possibly) of Guiomar.
Wigmund m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Wymond.
Wigstan m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Wystan.
Wihtburg f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements wiht "creature, being" and burg "fortress". This was the name of an 8th-century saint, said to be the youngest daughter of King Anna of East Anglia.
Wikolia f Hawaiian
Hawaiian form of Victoria.
Wiktor m Polish
Polish form of Victor.
Wiktoria f Polish
Polish form of Victoria.
Wil m & f English, Dutch
Short form of William and other names beginning with Wil.
Wilbert m Dutch
Means "bright will", derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and beraht "bright".
Wilbur m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from the nickname Wildbor meaning "wild boar" in Middle English. This name was borne by Wilbur Wright (1867-1912), one half of the Wright brothers, who together invented the first successful airplane. Wright was named after the Methodist minister Wilbur Fisk (1792-1839). A famous fictional bearer is the main character (a pig) in the children's novel Charlotte's Web (1952) by E. B. White.
Wilburg f Anglo-Saxon
Derived from the Old English elements willa "will, desire" and burg "fortress".
Wilburn m English
From an English surname that was probably originally derived from an unknown place name. The second element corresponds with Old English burne "stream".
Wilda f English
Meaning uncertain, perhaps from a German surname, or perhaps from the English word wild. It has been in use since the 19th century.
Wilder m English
From an English surname meaning "wild, untamed, uncontrolled", from Old English wilde.
Wiley m English
From a surname that was derived from various English place names: towns named Willey or the River Wylye.
Wilf m English
Short form of Wilfred.
Wilford m English
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "willow ford" in Old English.
Wilfred m English
Means "desiring peace" from Old English willa "will, desire" and friþ "peace". Saint Wilfrid was a 7th-century Anglo-Saxon bishop. The name was rarely used after the Norman Conquest, but it was revived in the 19th century.
Wilfreda f English (Rare)
Feminine form of Wilfred.
Wilfredo m Spanish
Spanish form of Wilfred.
Wilfrid m English
Variant of Wilfred.
Wilfried m German
German cognate of Wilfred.
Wilfrið m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Wilfred.
Wilheard m Anglo-Saxon
Old English cognate of Willihard.
Wilhelm m German, Polish, Germanic
German cognate of William. This was the name of two German emperors. It was also the middle name of several philosophers from Germany: Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770-1831), Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900), and Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz (1646-1716), who was also a notable mathematician.
Wilhelmina f Dutch, German (Rare), English
Dutch and German feminine form of Wilhelm. This name was borne by a queen of the Netherlands (1880-1962).
Wilhelmine f German
German feminine form of Wilhelm.
Wilhelmus m Dutch
Latinized form of Wilhelm. This is also the official Dutch form of the name, used on birth certificates but not commonly in daily life.
Wiljafriþuz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of Wilfrið and Willifrid.
Wiljahelmaz m Old Germanic (Hypothetical)
Proto-Germanic reconstruction of William.
Wilkie m English
From an English surname that was originally derived from a diminutive of the given name William.
Wilkin m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of William.
Wilky m Medieval English
Medieval diminutive of William.
Will m English
Short form of William and other names beginning with Will. A famous bearer is American actor Will Smith (1968-), whose full name is Willard.
Willa f English
Feminine form of William.
Willard m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old German given name Willihard (or the Old English cognate Wilheard).
Willehad m Germanic
Old German or Old English name derived from the elements willo "will, desire" and hadu "battle, combat". This was the name of an 8th-century Northumbrian saint active in Frisia and Saxony.
Willehelm m Germanic
Old German form of William.
Willem m Dutch
Dutch form of William. Willem the Silent, Prince of Orange, was the leader of the Dutch revolt against Spain that brought about the independence of the Netherlands. He is considered the founder of the Dutch royal family. In English he is commonly called William of Orange.
Willemijn f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
Willemina f Dutch
Feminine form of Willem.
Willi m German
Diminutive of Wilhelm.
William m English
From the Germanic name Willehelm meaning "will helmet", composed of the elements willo "will, desire" and helm "helmet, protection". An early saint by this name was the 8th-century William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who became a monk. The name was common among the Normans, and it became extremely popular in England after William the Conqueror was recognized as the first Norman king of England in the 11th century. From then until the modern era it has been among the most common of English names (with John, Thomas and Robert).... [more]
Willibald m German, Germanic
Derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and bald "bold, brave". Saint Willibald was an 8th-century bishop of Eichstätt, Bavaria.
Willibert m Germanic
Old German form of Wilbert.
Willidrud f Germanic
Old German form of Wiltrud.
Willie m & f English
Masculine or feminine diminutive of William. Notable bearers include the retired American baseball player Willie Mays (1931-) and the musician Willie Nelson (1933-).
Willifrid m Germanic
From the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and fridu "peace" (a cognate of Wilfred).
Willihard m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements willo "will, desire" and hart "hard, firm, brave, hardy".
Willimar m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements willo "will, desire" and mari "famous". It is a cognate of Wilmǣr.
Williric m Germanic
Old German name derived from the elements willo "will, desire" and rih "ruler, king".
Willis m English
From an English surname that was derived from Will, a diminutive of William.
Willka m Indigenous American, Aymara
From Aymara wilka meaning "sun".
Willoughby m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally derived from a place name meaning "willow town" in Old English.
Willow f English (Modern)
From the name of the tree, which is ultimately derived from Old English welig.
Willy m & f English, German, Dutch
Diminutive of William, Wilhelm or Willem. It is both masculine and feminine in Dutch.
Wilma f German, Dutch, English, Swedish
Short form of Wilhelmina. German settlers introduced it to America in the 19th century.
Wilmǣr m Anglo-Saxon
From the Old English elements willa "will, desire" and mære "famous".
Wilmer m English, Spanish (Latin American)
From an English surname that was derived from the given name Wilmǣr. In some cases it might be regarded as a masculine form of Wilma. This name is popular in Spanish-speaking Latin America.
Wilmot m & f Medieval English
Medieval diminutive and feminine form of William.
Wilson m English, Spanish (Latin American), Portuguese
From an English surname meaning "son of William". The surname was borne by Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), the American president during World War I.
Wilt m English
Short form of Wilton. This name was borne by basketball player Wilt Chamberlain (1936-1999).
Wilton m English
From a surname that was derived from the names of several English towns. The town names mean variously "willow town", "well town" or "town on the River Wylye" in Old English. The river name is itself of Celtic origin, possibly meaning "tricky".
Wiltrud f German
Derived from the Old German elements willo "will, desire" and drud "strength". This name was borne by a 10th-century German saint from Bergen.
Wim m Dutch
Dutch short form of Willem.
Win m & f Burmese
Means "bright, radiant, brilliant" in Burmese.
Wina f Germanic
Germanic name derived from the element wini meaning "friend" (Proto-Germanic *weniz).
Wincenty m Polish
Polish form of Vincent.
Windsor m & f English (Rare)
From an English surname that was from a place name meaning "riverbank with a windlass" in Old English (a windlass is a lifting apparatus). This has been the surname of the royal family of the United Kingdom since 1917.
Wine m Anglo-Saxon
Derived from Old English wine "friend".
Winfield m English
From a surname that originated from various English place names, themselves derived from Old English winn "meadow, pasture" and feld "field".
Winfred m English
Means "friend of peace" from the Old English elements wine "friend" and friþ "peace". This was the birth name of the 8th-century missionary Saint Boniface. It became rare after the Norman Conquest, though it was revived in the 19th century.
Winfried m German
German form of Winfred.
Winfrið m Anglo-Saxon
Old English form of Winfred.
Winifred f English, Welsh
From Latin Winifreda, possibly from a Welsh name Gwenfrewi (maybe influenced by the Old English masculine name Winfred). Saint Winifred was a 7th-century Welsh martyr, probably legendary. According to the story, she was decapitated by a prince after she spurned his advances. Where her head fell there arose a healing spring, which has been a pilgrimage site since medieval times. Her story was recorded in the 12th century by Robert of Shrewsbury, and she has been historically more widely venerated in England than in Wales. The name has been used in England since at least the 16th century.
Winifrid m Germanic
Old German cognate of Winfrið.
Winnie f English
Diminutive of Winifred. Winnie-the-Pooh, a stuffed bear in children's books by A. A. Milne, was named after a real bear named Winnipeg who lived at the London Zoo.
Winoc m Breton
Variant of Gwenneg.
Winona f English, Indigenous American, Sioux
Means "firstborn daughter" in Dakota or Lakota. According to folklore, this was the name of a daughter of a Dakota chief (possibly Wapasha III) who leapt from a cliff to her death rather than marry a man she hated. Numerous places in the United States have been named after her. The actress Winona Ryder (1971-) was named after the city in Minnesota where she was born.
Winslow m English (Rare)
From a surname that was derived from an Old English place name meaning "hill belonging to Wine". A famous bearer of this name was American painter Winslow Homer (1836-1910).
Winston m English
From an English surname that was derived from the Old English given name Wynnstan. A famous bearer was Winston Churchill (1874-1965), the British prime minister during World War II. This name was also borne by the fictional Winston Smith, the protagonist in George Orwell's 1949 novel 1984.
Winter f English (Modern)
From the English word for the season, derived from Old English winter.
Winthrop m English (Rare)
From a surname that was originally taken from town names meaning either "Wine's village" or "Wigmund's village" in Old English.
Winton m English
From a surname that was derived from a place name meaning "enclosure belonging to Wine" in Old English.
Wiola f Polish
Polish form of Viola.
Wioleta f Polish
Polish form of Violet.
Wioletta f Polish
Polish form of Violet.
Wira m Indonesian, Malay
Means "hero" in Indonesian and Malay, ultimately from Sanskrit वीर (vira).
Wiremu m Maori
Maori form of William.
Wischard m Old Norman
Norman form of Guiscard.
Wisdom f & m English (Rare)
Simply from the English word, a derivative of Old English wis "wise".
Wisława f Polish (Rare)
Feminine form of Wielisław.
Wisteria f English (Rare)
From the name of the flowering plant, which was named for the American anatomist Caspar Wistar.
Wit m Polish
Polish form of Vitus.
Witek m Polish
Diminutive of Witold or Wit.
Witołd m Polish (Archaic)
Polish variant of Witold.
Witold m Polish
Polish form of Vytautas. Alternatively it could be derived from the Old German name Widald.