Woodrow (name)
Portrait of Woodrow Wilson in 1881, shortly after he began using his mother's maiden name in lieu of his given name | |
| Gender | masculine |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Origin | |
| Languages | 1. Middle English 2. Old English |
| Derivation | 1. wode + reue 2. wudu + rǣw, rāw |
| Meaning | "wood" + "row", "row of houses" |
| Other names | |
| Nickname | Woody |
Woodrow is a male English given name and surname. The name is derived from the Middle English wode + reue and the Old English wudu + rǣw, rāw, literally meaning "wood" and "row", "row of houses". The name was originally a surname. It may have been toponymic, referring to people who lived near a row of trees, in a row of houses in the woods, or in particular places, such as Wood Row in Hatfield Broad Oak.
Woodrow's use as a given name became popular because of the United States president Woodrow Wilson, who began to use his mother's maiden name after college in lieu of his given name Thomas. According to the Wilson biographer John Milton Cooper, he wanted to emphasize his family connection and he believed that "Woodrow Wilson" was more dignified than "Thomas Wilson".
The pet form of Woodrow is Woody.