Skip to main content

Updated February 1, 2024

Table of contents

Boy name origins & meanings

  • Teutonic : Bold resolve
  • Teutonic : Valiant protector

How Popular Is The Name Willard

Family name origins & meanings

  • English : from a Germanic personal name composed of the elements wil ‘will’, ‘desire’ + hard ‘hardy’, ‘brave’, ‘strong’.
  • Probably an Americanized form of the German cognate Willhardt (see Willert).
  • Simon Willard (1605–76) came from Horsmonden, Kent, England, to Boston, MA, in 1634. In that year he became one of the founders of Cambridge, MA, and the following year (1635) was a founder of Concord, MA. Twenty years later, in 1659, he was a founder of Lancaster, MA. Simon Willard was involved in numerous confrontations with the native American Indians, in particular in King Philip’s War of 1675–76. He had seventeen children and was the ancestor of many prominent Americans.

Famous people who gave their babies this name

Join the Family

Your partner in parenting from baby name inspiration to college planning.

Subscribe