Meaning and background
The story behind Willis
Willis comes from English surname traditions in which Will is a short form of William. One common explanation is a genitival surname made from Will, but other branches have different origins. The ending -is is therefore not a modern suffix meaning 'little' or an independent word for protection. As a dog's spoken name, Willis has the familiar first syllable of William while remaining a complete two-syllable surname-style choice.
- Origin
- English surname commonly derived from the genitive of the personal name Will, a form of William; other surname routes also occur. Source
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Everyday moments“Willis, come here!”
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About Willis
Recorded as a dog’s name
Willis appears in 9 dog licence records in the 2022 New York City dataset.
How to read this count
These records cover New York City and may count the same dog in more than one licence period. They are not a national popularity ranking.
Pronunciation and rhythm
/wɪlɪs/
US English sound sequence, converted from the CMU dictionary. Stress marks are shown separately.
Stress on the first syllable in the recorded US readings.
View dictionary notation
/wɪlɪs/ · primary stress on syllable 1W IH1 L IH0 S
These are US dictionary readings. Personal, regional and other language pronunciations may differ.
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Sources and research notes (3)
- New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene NYC Dog Licensing Dataset — all seven available extract years, retrieved 24 October 2026 — Recorded name spellings in NYC licence-period rows, extract years 2016–2018, 2022–2024 and 2026. Evidence selects one stated year per name. Annual snapshots overlap; never sum them as unique dogs. No national popularity, etymology or owner naming-intent claim.
- Carnegie Mellon University / CMU Sphinx maintainers CMU US English Pronouncing Dictionary — US English dictionary readings; not owner-specific or exhaustive multilingual pronunciation
- City of Seattle Seattle Pet Licenses — DOG-only name aggregate, current source dated 6 October 2026 — Secondary spelling corroboration from dog-only licence rows. No cats, owner fields, national ranking or unique-dog claim.
References support the individual facts shown. A source link does not mean the entire profile has been verified.