The name Willow was derived from the Old English word welig, referring to the willow tree. Willow trees are known for their flexibility, adaptability and medicinal properties, with their bark containing salicin, a precursor to aspirin. As a nature-inspired given name, Willow first appeared in the Social Security Administration's top 1,000 in 1998 before cracking the top-200 for the first time in 2011. Willow has now been a top-100 girl's name every year since 2016 and a top-50 girl's name since 2019. Actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith named their daughter Willow Camille Reign, born in 1998, while singer Pink welcomed a baby girl named Willow Sage in 2011. Its spike in popularity in the United States corresponds with the birth of Pink's daughter.
