Origin, Meaning, And History of Willow
Named after one of the most graceful trees, Willow is a name derived from the Old English word welig, which refers to the ‘willow tree.’ Willow is the modern version of Welbig which evolved after the development of the language. It also means ‘freedom’ in English, derived from the free-swinging branches of the tree.
The Willow tree is associated with grace and elegance, meaning slim, tall, and lithe. The branches of the tree bend rather than break apart. The trees are strong and grow easily in cold and temperate regions; therefore, the name Willow signifies strength and resilience. The name symbolizes false love and despair in Shakespeare’s Othello. Anecdotal evidence suggests that people used willow branches and twigs for pain relief.
The willow tree is mentioned several times in the Bible, and a verse mentions, “We hanged our harps on the willows in the middle thereof,” referring to the Jews who were captivated in Babylon in remembrance of their homeland.
柳树是一种古老的树,has traversed as a magical figure from the Bible to Shakespeare to Harry Potter. The willow tree appears as a symbolic figure in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” as a tree that hangs over Ophelia, symbolizing sin and grief. Just as fruits fall from trees before they are ripe, Ophelia’s untimely death is related to the willow tree. The Whomping Willow is a large magical tree in “Harry Potter ” which can move its limbs whenever it feels threatened and is located on the Hogwarts ground.
This symbolic name can be alternatively spelled as Willoh, Wilow, Willo, Wylow, and Wyllow and makes some adorable nicknames, Will, Willa, Lo, Lolo, Willy, Lola, and Wills.
Willow was not a very popular name in the US till the 2000s. It has been used as a popular fictional name for several characters in popular culture. Willow Rosenberg is a fictional character developed for the fantasy TV series“Buffy The Vampire Slayer.”She is quirky, shy, and extremely intelligent and is played by Alyson Hannigan.Grandmother Willow是在说柳树描绘成一个古老的一个d wise figure from the animated movie “Pocahontas.”Willow Ufgoodis another fictional character in the 1988 fantasy movie “Willow.”
How To Pronounce Willow?
Famous People With The Name Willow
- Willow Camille Reign Smith美国音乐艺术家和演员,授予的BET Award, a Young Artist award, and an NAACP Image award
- Willow DawsonCanadian illustrator and cartoonist, known for her work “The Big Green Book of the Big Blue Sea”
- Willow ShieldsAmerican actress, known for her role in “The Hunger Games”
- Willow PattersonAmerican drag performer, nicknamed Willow Pill.
- Willow BayAmerican journalist, editor, author, former model, and dean of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Willow On The Popularity Chart
Willow has not been a much popular name in the US until recently when it rose to immense popularity, especially in the 2000s. Check for the graph below to understand how the name is a top pick currently.
Popularity Over Time
As represented in the graph, Willow was a less popular name until 1995, after which it gained momentum and still continues to rise in popularity.
Source:Social Security AdministrationRank Over Time
The name’s ranking is improving parallelly with its popularity. Check out the graph to see year-by-year improvement.
Source:Social Security AdministrationNames With Similar Sound As Willow
If you like the stylish sound of Willow, you will also like these similar-sounding names. Have a look!
Popular Sibling Names For Willow
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Infographic: Know The Name’s Personality As Per Numerology
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How To Communicate The Name In Other Languages
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Name Numerology For Willow
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