How popular is the baby name Willadene in the United States right now? How popular was it historically? Use the popularity graph and data table below to find out! Plus, see all the blog posts that mention the name Willadene.

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Popularity of the baby name Willadene


Posts that mention the name Willadene

Mystery baby name: Willodean

Usage of Willodean and variant names, 1920s and 1930s

Different versions of the name Willodean keep popping up around here. Last month’s old-fashioned double names list included a Willowdean, and last week’s post on Dolly Parton’s siblings featured a Willadeene.

So I’m taking this as a sign that it’s finally time to post about Willodean. :)

“Willodean” is the most popular spelling, but the group includes dozens of variants, 16 of which have been used frequently enough to register in the SSA data. Here are some specifics on each of the 16:

  1. Willodean: At least 1,236 U.S. baby girls have been named Willodean (which was in the data from the 1910s to the 1950s)
    • 595 in Ala., 76 Tenn., 47 Ark., 42 Ind., 16 Ky.
  2. Willadean: At least 880 baby girls named Willadean (1910s to 1960s)
    • 57 in Ala., 44 Tenn., 16 Ky., 15 Mo., 13 Ark., 11 Okla., 5 Ind., 5 Tex.
  3. Willodene: At least 241 baby girls named Willodene (1910s to 1940s)
    • 44 in Alabama
  4. Willadene: At least 220 baby girls named Willadene (1910s to 1940s)
    • 5 in Indiana
  5. Wylodean: At least 77 baby girls named Wylodean (1920s to 1930s)
    • 5 in Alabama
  6. Willadeen: At least 75 baby girls named Willadeen (1920s to 1930s)
    • 9 in Texas, 6 in Arkansas
  7. Willowdean: At least 63 baby girls named Willowdean (1920s to 1930s)
  8. Wilodean: At least 55 baby girls named Wilodean (1920s to 1930s)
    • 10 in Kentucky, 5 in Alabama
  9. Wylodine: At least 32 baby girls named Wylodine (1920s to 1930s)
  10. Willodeen: At least 29 baby girls named Willodeen (1920s to 1930s)
  11. Wylodene: At least 23 baby girls named Wylodene (1920s)
    • 5 in Alabama
  12. Willadine: At least 16 baby girls named Willadine (1920s)
  13. Wilodene: At least 11 baby girls named Wilodene (1920s to 1930s)
  14. Willodine: At least 10 baby girls named Willodine (1930s)
  15. Wilodyne: At least 6 baby girls named Wilodyne (1920s)
  16. Wiladean: At least 5 baby girls named Wiladean (1920s)

Overall, the group was most popular in the late 1920s and early 1930s, as you can see in the chart above.

Only the most popular variant, Willodean, was able to break into the top 1,000:

  • 1933: 43 baby girls named Willodean
  • 1932: 67 baby girls named Willodean [rank: 854th]
  • 1931: 66 baby girls named Willodean [rank: 856th]
  • 1930: 57 baby girls named Willodean [rank: 983rd]
  • 1929: 67 baby girls named Willodean [rank: 876th]
  • 1928: 76 baby girls named Willodean [rank: 830th]
  • 1927: 57 baby girls named Willodean
  • 1926: 64 baby girls named Willodean [rank: 941st]
  • 1925: 48 baby girls named Willodean

And now for the $64,000 question: What made the “Willodean” name-group so trendy in the Southeastern U.S. (particularly Alabama) in the late ’20s and early ’30s?

I wish I knew!

The data suggests that something kicked things off around 1924, and yet I haven’t been able to find a probable event. Was it something in the newspapers? On the radio?

The only clue I’ve found so far is a secondary character named Willowdean French from Summer Bachelors, which was two things in 1926: a book published in August and a silent film released in December. But the book and movie were clearly just following the trend, not launching it.

I’ve known about the historical/regional trendiness of Willodean for a long time now. I even remember seeing posts about Willodean at other name blogs (like Spastic Onomastic and Baby Name Wizard). I held off writing about it myself because I figured I’d eventually stumble upon the influence and post something definitive. But, more than a decade later, I still haven’t solved the mystery.

So…does anyone out there have a theory about what made Willodean trendy in the early 20th century?

Even better: Do you happen to know a family with a Willodean who was born in the ’20s or ’30s? (I’m looking at you, Alabama peeps!) If so, would you please reach out and ask a family member if they know the story behind the name?