Use: English, Danish, Dutch, German, Norwegian, Swedish
The name is derived from the old Germanic “will,” meaning “will, desire.” It was borne by a 10th-century Frankish queen known as Willa of Provence (d.924), also known as Guille (GHEE; GHEE-ye) or Guilla.
Another notable bearer was the Italian queen consort, Willa of Tuscany (10th-century).
It was borne by the American novelist, Willa Cather, (nee Wilella) (1873-1947).
It has been in and out of the U.S. Top 1000 since 1880. It peaked at #272 in 1932 and it is currently the 383rd most popular female name (2018).
Other forms include:
- Wil – la (Catalan)
- Guille (French, archaic)
- Guilla (Italian/Spanish)
- Villa (Italian, archaic)
Sources