Willow

Willow tree

Willow is an English girls’ name taken directly from the word for the tree. That word has a long history, reaching back through Middle English wilwe to Old English welig. As a name, Willow can bring to mind a riverbank, narrow leaves and flexible twigs moving in the breeze. That image gives it a gentle, unhurried quality. You might connect it with a particular tree or a place you love; the appeal can be as personal as a remembered walk by the water. In English, Willow is pronounced /ˈwɪloʊ/, with the stress on the first of two syllables. The opening /w/, smooth /l/ and rounded ending give the name a flowing rhythm. The double l represents one consonant sound.

Etymology: From the English tree word willow, through Middle English wilwe from Old English welig.