Willa Beatrice Player (1909 – 2003) was an American educator, college administrator, college president, civil rights activist, and federal appointee. Player was the first African-American woman to become president of a four-year, fully accredited liberal arts college when she took the position at Bennett College in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Willa Brown (1906 – 1992) was an American aviator, lobbyist, teacher, and civil rights activist. She was the first African American woman to earn a pilot's license in the United States, the first African American woman to run for the United States Congress, first African American officer in the Civil Air Patrol, and first woman in the U.S. to have both a pilot's license and an aircraft mechanic's license.She was a lifelong advocate for gender and racial equality in the field of aviation as well as in the military. She not only lobbied the U.S. government to integrate the United States Army Air Corps and include African Americans in the Civilian Pilot Training Program (CPTP), she and Cornelius Coffey co-founded the Coffey School of Aeronautics, distinguishing it as the first private flight training academy owned and operated by African Americans in the United States. She trained hundreds of pilots, several of whom went on to become Tuskegee Airmen; the creation of the Tuskegee Airmen has been credited to Brown's training efforts.
I first heard this name 14 years ago when I was really little. I met a toddler named Willa. I LOVED the name! I think Willa is very similar and it is a great alternative to the too popular Willow. It was very unusual when I first heard it and I have never met another Willa since! I did realize that Willa has been getting more popular, but I still really like it and I would definitely use it if I have a daughter in the future. Willa sounds like a classic name, even if it’s pretty trendy, and it could suit a girl or woman of any age. Willa sounds soft, pretty, strong and original. Willa gives me similar vibes to Willow and Aspen.
― Anonymous User 4/18/2022
3
Willa is a really cute name. It’s similar to the name Willow. I think it’s very formal, and I see it working for all ages. Beautiful and underused.
I love this name! Willa sounds delicate and formal, but not overly stuffy at the same time. Also good when you like Willow for a baby but don't want to risk it in case your daughter turns out pudgy HA!
― Anonymous User 8/30/2021
3
Willa Jean is the annoying younger sister of Howie on the books Junie B Jones.
I love the name Willa Jean. My dad's mother's name was Willa Jean. She died before I was born. I have taken 2 middle names Lea-Jean from both my grandmothers. I absolutely think it is a name of a strong willed, determined woman.
Am I the only male here? Haha I really like my name though. It's simple but uncommon.
― Anonymous User 6/29/2020
2
My name is Willa Jean and I’m past 70. I was in my 30s before I met another Willa, when I was a photographer shooting portraits of a family with a 3-year-old named Willa Jean. She was so excited to meet someone with her name. As a child and a voracious reader, I had read all of Willa Cather’s literary works, thrilled that such a gifted writer shared my name. However, I was named by and for my father, Willard. I went through childhood not liking my name because I didn’t like my Dad (he was a drinker and abusive whether drinking or not), and because no one could get it right back then. I was always being called Wilma or Wilda. That said, once I reached my teens, I appreciated my name and wore it proudly. I was glad not to have a common name with five others in a classroom, and I had come to realize it was a pretty name that didn’t have to refer me back to my Dad. People magically stopped mistaking me for a Wilma or a Wilda. I love being Willa, and it is delightful to read all the favorable comments about the name. I’m glad little baby girls are being christened Willa.
This name is starting to grow on me a lot! My name is Whitney, which I am not a huge fan of. I've been looking for nicknames to use instead of my real name and this just might work for me! My dad passed away when I was young, and his name was William. I think taking Willa as a nickname would be a nice way to honor his memory.
― Anonymous User 9/23/2019
4
Willa Cather, (American author), was born Wilella, so in her case, Willa is a diminutive.
Such a beautiful sounding name. It sounds light and airy yet also strong and confident. Very much down to earth. This name belongs to someone who is gracious, kind and has great fortitude. Great name.
― Anonymous User 11/7/2018
5
I really like this name. It sounds wistful and earthy. I always think of the great American author Willa Cather. A girl would be lucky to have this name.
― Anonymous User 9/15/2018
4
Lovely, cute name. Willa Cather is one of my favorite authors; she is a great namesake. This name is known but not common, which is nice.
My name is Willa and I was born in 1976 (41 as of this post). I love having a unique name and get a lot of compliments on it being a cool name. My father’s name was William which is why my parents chose Willa for me. My middle name is Jean so some call me Willa Jean (very southern, I know). I have met only 2 other Willa’s in my life so far: one was a friend's mother and the other was a customer I helped once. Her name was “Dethwilla” and I was like, “Wow, cool. Me, only morbid.” Haha! I like the name so much I have been hinting to my three children that I’d be honored to have a grandchild named after me. I also coined a new version of Willa that I think is regal, “Willabea” or “Willoughby” so it doesn’t look weird when people try to pronounce it. Great name, “Willa”. Keep it alive!
I prefer Willa to names like Wilhelmina, it is just simple yet not nasty or pretentious and easy to spell. Plus there's no need for a nickname, like Liam.
― Anonymous User 9/15/2017
3
My name is Willamina, and I usually go by Willa. I love how special this name is, I have had quite a few comments on my name for my seventeen years of life, I think everyone has a special name, but I'm proud of my name, it's extremely different but beautiful.
― Anonymous User 5/21/2017
1
I love the name Willa. It's uncommon, yet very pretty, and is a nice alternative to the name Willow. Though sometimes used as a nickname for Wilhelmina, I prefer Willa on its own. The author Willa Cather is a famous bearer of this name.
My daughter was born December '15 & is named Willa. It is a beautiful feminine name and it gets lots of lovely comments. She is currently 4 months old & I can't wait for her to grow up with such a pretty name.
― Anonymous User 3/25/2016
3
Brilliant. Just brilliant.
― Anonymous User 3/23/2016
2
I named my little girl Willa because I thought it was unique and beautiful. She gets lots of compliments on her name and it fits her so well. I love that there are not too many Willa's around!
― Anonymous User 3/21/2016
2
My hubby and I just found out that I'm pregnant (yay!) a few weeks ago and we have already started calling baby by this name, even though we are keeping the gender a surprise. We have always loved this name and we will probably choose it if we have a girl.
― Anonymous User 12/24/2015
2
I wanted a unique name so I named my baby Willa because it's so beautiful and different.
I named my daughter, Willa. It fits her perfectly. She is strong, and yet delicate and ethereal like a Willow tree. I love that her name is simple and unique. To me, it's a beautiful name for a beautiful girl.
Willa is such a beautiful, cute, unique name! This name is awesome! :D The name Willa deserves more love. ♥.
― Anonymous User 5/27/2015
4
This name is a gem! I like that it's a feminine form of William. For me it could honor my Great Grandmother whose middle name is Velma, also a form of William. Strong gorgeous and ages well. I hope to see more Willa's running around.
My name is Willa, I was born in 1989 so I'm 26. I get tons and tons of compliments from the older generations impressed that such an old name has come and that they have met a younger person with the name Willa. From my generation and my parents generation I'm constantly asked to repeat it, or correcting people who have called me "Willow". Overall I love my name, to me it's normal but rare, and I've never thought it wasn't aging well since it is such an old and classic name.
― Anonymous User 3/29/2015
3
This name has suddenly jumped to the US top 1000 in 2010. In 2013, it rose to number 691, according to the Social Security Administration baby name database.I suspect that this sudden rise in popularity has to do with the popularity of Willow and parents wanting short, pronounceable names that are also uncommon. Well, if Willa continues to rise in popularity, it will eventually no longer be uncommon.
Cute, old fashioned name, I think it would be really cute for a dog! That's not to say that it wouldn't suit a human, I think it'd be a very refreshing choice for a girl today, it isn't even in the top 1000 anymore. I'd rather meet a girl named Willa than say, Madison, Isabella, or Ava, personally.
My name is Willa-rose, and I really love it. The name Willa is not even on the top 1000 girls name of 2007 -- or a few other years before that-- so I feel so original. It is pretty and feminine but not too precious sounding. Only, nicknames are a bit scarce. Billie is a nickname that no one really thinks of though, and is still nice! Overall I am glad I was named this and would not change it at all.
I don't find this name particularly pretty, and even though the name is only two syllables long, it doesn't exactly roll off the tongue. In my case, when I pronounce this, my tongue often makes some nasty wet sound. Well, this is still better than Billie.
What I love about Willa is that it is simple but beautiful, much nicer than any other W name. Willa is one of my favorite names, primarily because I plan on using it to honor someone. Simply, if my first child is a girl, it will be her name.