🔥Wilhelmina

vil-hehl-MEE-na; will-uh-MEE-nuh; wil-hehl-MEEN-uh

German and Dutch, feminine variation of Wilhelm

"resolute protection"

Wilhelmina Origin and Meaning

The name Wilhelmina is a girl's name of German origin meaning "resolute protection".

Wilhelmina might once have been condemned as a clunky relic best left in the past, but a steadily increasing number of parents are dusting it off for their 21st century babies. A reasonably popular choice in the 19th century, but out of favor by the 1950s, in the last decade, the number of babies called Wilhelmina has doubled, with 140 girls receiving the name in 2023.

A Dutch and German feminization of William, via Wilhelm, Wilhelmina is historically associated with Queen Wilhelmina who reigned in the Netherlands for most of the early 20th century, becoming a heroic figure during the two World Wars. The name got an infusion of glamour via Wilhelmina Cooper, the Dutch-born model who established the Wilhelmina Model Agency in 1967 — though the stylish association did little to save the name from going out of fashion.

The mid-2000s marked a turning point for Wilhelmina when the dynamic Vanessa Williams character from Ugly Betty gave the name a new edge, and it got a further boost in 2012, when singer musician Taylor Hanson chose it for his daughter.

More recently, the growing popularity of subscription newsletter Dracula Daily might have given the name increased exposure via the character Wilhelmina 'Mina' Harker. Increased interest around the vampire novel might have helped people see the name in a new light — while equally lending it some witchy, Gothic vibes.

While Willa is currently the more popular feminine form of William, ranking in the US Top 500, Wilhelmina is a more daring possibility that comes with a plethora of nicknames to lighten it, including: Mina, Minna, Minnie, Minka, Billie, Willa, Winnie, and Win.

Wilhelmina Rank in US Top 1000

# 994 in the US

Wilhelmina Rank in Nameberry Top 1000

# 318 on Nameberry

Wilhelmina Popularity

• 318 Nameberry 2024
• 534 Unique 2023
• 940 Future 2028

20 Names Similar to Wilhelmina

These 20 names were selected by our users that were looking for other names like Wilhelmina.

• Winifred
• Theodora
• Agnes
• Philomena
• Agatha
• Augusta
• Henrietta
• Araminta
• Esther
• Dorothea
• Edith
• Bernadette
• Willa
• Alouette
• Honora
• Andromeda
• Beatrix
• Delphine
• Cosima
• Beatrice

Famous People Named Wilhelmina

• Wilhelmina Helena Pauline Maria Queen of the Netherlands
• (Frederika Sophia) Wilhelmina of Prussia Queen consort of King William V of Orange
• Wilhelmina Cooper (born Gertrude Behmenburg) Dutch,born American model
• Wilhelmina FitzClarence Countess of Munster, British noblewoman and novelist
• Wilhelmina Geddes Irish stained glass artist
• Wilhelmina Kekelaokalaninui Widemann Dowsett American Hawaiian suffragist
• Wilhelmina Frances "Mina" Rawson Australia's first cookbook author
• Wilhelmina Elizabeth Drucker Dutch politician and author
• Wilhelmina Barns Graham, British abstract artist
• Wilhelmina "Mina" Wylie Australian swimmer
• Wilhelmina Jane Hanson (b. 2012) daughter of singer Taylor Hanson

Wilhelmina in Pop Culture

• Wilhelmina Vivian Slater (born Wanda Slater) character played by Vanessa Williams on TV's 'Ugly Betty'
• Wilhelmina "Willie" Scott a main character from movie "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom"
• Wilhelmina "Mina" Harker character in Bram Stoker's Dracula
• Wilhelmina Grubbly Plank, frequent substitute for Hagrid in Harry Potter series
• Wilhelmina/Wilma "Will" Vandom the Guardian of Quintessence in comic and TV series "W.I.T.C.H"
• Wilhelmina Carmel character in Shakugan no Shana light novels
• Wilhelmina "Helma" Zukas main character in mystery series by Jo Dereske
• Wilhelmina modeling agency founded by Wilhelmina Cooper
• Wilhelmina "Mina" Grimm main character in the "Unfortunate Fairy Tale" fantasy series by Chanda Hahn
• Wilhelmina "Willie " princess character in Bruce Coville's The Dragonslayers
• Wilhelmina Wyatt character in the Gemma Doyle series by Libba Bray
• Wilhelmina "Minna" Tims character in The Mapmakers Trilogy by S. E. Grove
• Shirley Wilhelmina Feeney character on TV's 'Laverne & Shirley'.
• Wilhelmina "Mina" Carstairs Tessa and Jem's daughter in Cassandra Clare's books
• Wilhelmina Ogilvy main character in "Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself", short story written by Radcliffe Hall