Where does “willet” come from?

Willet is an English word of unknown origin whose earliest meaning and etymological derivation remain unestablished.

Ancestry of “willet”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	English	Willett	—
2	English	Will	A weak-side linebacker
3	English	william	—
4	Middle English	William	—
5	Anglo-Norman	Willame	—
6	Old High German	Willahelm	William
7	Old High German	helm	helmet
8	Proto-West Germanic	helm	helmet
9	Proto-Germanic	helmaz	helmet
10	Proto-Germanic	halmaz	halm; stem; stalk; straw; hay
11	Proto-Indo-European	ḱolh₂mos	stalk
12	Proto-Indo-European	ḱelh₂-	to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab

willet — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer