William name meaning

By Nishant Saini

Updated: May 30th, 2024

Gender: Boy

Origin: Old High German and Germanic

Usage: English, French, Faroese, Icelandic, Greenlandic, Finnish, Swedish, Danish and Norwegian

Pronunciation: will-ee-uhm

Meaning: Will Desire, Will and Protect

Add to favorites

On This Page

What does William mean?
Variations of William
Nicknames for William
Middle Names for William
How popular is William?
Popularity Chart
Similar Names to William
Famous People Named William
Lists having William

What does William mean?

Loved and Evergreen unisex name William is used notably in Faroese, Danish, Swedish, Icelandic, Greenlandic, Finnish, English, French and Norwegian which came from Germanic and Old High German, meaning of William is "Resolute Protector, Will-helmet or Protect".

William is resulted from Guillaume. Guillaume is variant form of noteworthy and conifer William. Guillaume is French cognate of Wilhelm. Also Guillaume is French equivalent of Willihelm. Guillaume means Helmet, Desire and Composition is originated from Old High German and Germanic.

William is German, English and Dutch cognate of William. Also William is English cognate of Wilhelm. The name is celebrated on the 10 of January.

ALSO READ : 170+ Vintage Names for Your Modern Baby

How do I pronounce William?

The most common way to pronounce three syllabled William is will-ee-uhm.

Variants of William

Bille, Billa, Birger, Williams, Williamjames, Wilhelm, James, Willihelm

Nicknames for William

Here is the list of Popular nicknames for the name William:

Names that rhyme with William

How popular is the name William?

William was an extremely popular name in United States. Over 4132904 babies have been named William since 1880. When at its peak in 1880, the moniker grabbed the 2nd spot and 66977 baby boys were given the name.

However after 278 years, the name is on free fall on the charts but still dominating the charts. In addition to that, the moniker has been in the top 5 baby names an astounding 80 times Also, William was among the very popular names in England and Wales.

Since emerging in 1996 around 106143 babies have been given the name. At its zenith in 2006, it ranked 7th when 5287 parents chose the moniker for their baby boys. However after 24 years, the name is on free fall on the charts but still performing better than most of the names.

Moreover, the name has been to the top 10 baby names 15 times Also, a popular name in Ireland with over 20295 new-borns have been given the name since 1964. Recently the moniker is on a rise, in 1964, the moniker grabbed the 8th spot and 1000 baby boys were given the name.

In addition to that, the given name has been in the top 10 baby names 9 times Also, a popular name in France with over 75542 new-borns have been given the name since 1900.

At its zenith in 1998, the moniker grabbed the 51st spot and 1603 baby boys were given the name. Moreover, the moniker has been to the top 100 baby names an astounding 81 times Also, a popular name in Denmark having over 11504 recievers in 23 years of usage.

Currently the moniker is on a rise, in 2012, 806 girls were bestowed the name and it was ranked at 1st position. In addition to that, the name has been in the top 5 baby names 12 times Also, William was among the popular names in Sweden.

Since emerging in 1998 around 12482 babies have been given the moniker. At its zenith in 2003, 1255 boys were bestowed the name and it was ranked at 1st position. However the graph is now showing a downward trend after 12 years.

In addition to that, the given name has been in the top 5 baby names 9 times Also, a popular name in New South Wales having over 29456 recievers in 67 years of usage.

When at the peak of its usage in 2009, 763 boys were bestowed the name and it was ranked at 1st position. Moreover, the given name has been to the top 5 baby names 17 times Also, William was among the popular names in Queensland.

Since emerging in 1960 around 15134 babies have been given the moniker. At its zenith in 2009, the moniker grabbed the 1st spot and 567 baby boys were given the name.

However the graph is now showing a downward trend after 60 years but still dominating the charts. Moreover, the first name has been to the top 5 baby names 14 times Also, a popular name in Victoria with over 5664 new-borns have been given the name since 2008.

When at the peak of its usage in 2008, the moniker grabbed the 1st spot and 574 baby boys were given the name. In addition to that, the given name has been in the top 5 baby names 12 times

William is common in Switzerland where over 1176 new-borns have been given the name since 1998.

Currently the name is hotter than ever, it ranked 75th when 108 parents chose the moniker for their baby boys. Also, William is common in Belgium where over 3590 new-borns have been given the name since 1995.

When at the peak of its usage in 2016, 199 boys were bestowed the name and it was ranked at 39th position. Also, William used to be a common name in Western Australia, first appeared in 1930 and over 5692 babies have been given the name in 34 years.

When at the peak of its usage in 1932,. However the graph is now showing a downward trend after 34 years but it is still going strong. Moreover, the moniker has been to the top 5 baby names 25 times

William is a familiar baby name in Netherlands, during its short term of usage, the name has been to the top 300 names.

In 2015, it achieved its highest ever ranking of 214 on boy names chart when 75 babies were given the name William. Over 285 people have been named William in Netherlands.

In Northern Territory, William is a unique name where it has been in use since 2003 and has secured the place in top 100 names. In 2008, it achieved its highest ever ranking of 1 on boy names chart when 34 babies were named William.

Over 346 people have been named William in Northern Territory.

However things change on global perspective, William is extremely popular in England where every 1 in 200 have the name as well as in, Colombia, Canada, Uganda, Philippines, Scotland and South Africa.

Also the baby name is popular in Brazil, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Venezuela, Australia, Northern Ireland, Peru, Malawi, South Sudan, Zambia, Nigeria, Sudan, Ecuador, Wales, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Malaysia, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Mexico, Cameroon, Liberia, Angola, DR Congo, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Egypt, El Salvador, Indonesia, Jamaica, Mozambique, Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, New Zealand, India, Congo, Central African Republic, China, Italy, Equatorial Guinea, Chad, Haiti, Bangladesh, Chile and Burundi.

At least, 6200000 people globally have carried William as their given name according to our estimate.

Year	Boys		Girls
Year	Rank	Births	Rank	Births
2023	10	10598	13414	6
2022	6	11282	12183	7
2021	6	12088	5719	21
2020	5	12613	7525	14
2019	4	13620	8580	12
2018	3	14622	8596	12
2017	3	15014	6520	18
2016	3	15790	6181	20
2015	5	15928	7603	15
2014	5	16836	5618	23

View more ▾View full list ▾^{[1] Source: Social Security Administration}

Facts

What numbers say about William?

Perhaps it's because you are so kind it makes selfish and evil people sick. It seems like cruel, evil, and trickery people can't hang around you for too long. You desire to enjoy material things in life such as money, expensive cars, clothing, and latest technology. Not everyone wants to change the world as you do. Not everyone will be there to help you when you need a hand, just like you are there for everyone.

You would love these names similar to William

Ethel - Eminent and Ever lasting unisex name Ethel means "Noble, Noble. or Righteous", used in Icelandic, English and Swedish is originated from German and Old English. In 1966, widely accepted Ethel ranked 491 on the list of baby girl names in United States

Douglas - Widely Accepted and Perpetual Douglas has its origin in Scottish and Celtic bestowed upon both genders, Douglas means "Obscure River, Black or Dark River" is mainly used in Swedish, English and English
Maxine - Widely Accepted and All time favorite Maxine has its origin in Latin language bestowed upon both genders, used dominantly in Norwegian and Swedish, Maxine means "Very Great, Greatest or Great Woman"
Gabriella - Celebrated and Perpetual Gabriella came from Hebrew is used as a unisex name, meaning of Gabriella is "Strong Man of God or God is My Hero" is prevalently used in Romanian and Faroese
Elmer - Long standing and Well-Liked Elmer is used largely in Danish, Swedish and Scandinavian is of Old High German and Old English origin and a unisex name, Elmer means "Nobly Famous or Well-Known"

Middle names for William

Below are up to date and bold middle names we think go particularly well with William:

View more middle names that goes with William.

Famous people named William

William Crossing, writer and chronicler of Dartmoor and the lives of its inhabitants
William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, British statesman of the Whig group
William Jardine, Scottish physician and merchant
William Seward Burroughs I, American inventor born in Rochester, New York
William Ames, English Protestant divine, philosopher

William Abbot, English actor
William Ewart Gladstone, British statesman and Liberal Party politician
William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, British Whig statesman
William Byrd, English composer of the Renaissance
William McMahon, Australian politician
William Strunk Jr., William Strunk Jr
William Dobson, portraitist and one of the first notable English painters
William McCrea, English astronomer and mathematician
William Pitt the Younger, prominent British Tory statesman of the late 18th and early 19th centuries
William R. King, American politician and diplomat
William Walton, English composer
William Clowes, printer
William King, English poet
William Caxton, English merchant, diplomat, and writer

William Jacob Baer,
William Harrison, English clergyman
William Schutz, American psychologist
William Forbes Skene, Scottish lawyer, historian and antiquary
William Crookes, British chemist and physicist
William Alston, American philosopher
William Withering, English botanist, geologist, chemist
William Shockley, William Bradford Shockley Jr
William DeVries, American cardiothoracic surgeon
William of Ockham, English Franciscan friar and scholastic philosopher and theologian
William Paley, English clergyman, Christian apologist
William, was Archbishop of Mainz
William Herschel, German-British astronomer
William Lipscomb, William Nunn Lipscomb Jr

William H. Riker, American political scientist
William Thurston, American mathematician
William Rowan Hamilton, Irish mathematician
William of Tyre, medieval prelate and chronicler
William Ramsay, Scottish chemist
William Harvey, In 1973
William Murdoch, Scottish engineer and inventor
William Stokoe, William C. Stokoe Jr
William Morris Davis, American geographer, geologist, geomorphologist
William Anders, retired United States Air Force Major general, former electrical engineer
William James, American philosopher and psychologist
William Smith, English geologist
William Henry Perkin, British chemist and entrepreneur best
William Wollaston, school teacher, Church of England priest, scholar of Latin

William Sealy Gosset, English statistician
William Godwin, English journalist
William Osler, Canadian physician and one of the four founding professors of Johns Hopkins Hospital
William M. Tweed, —was an American politician most notable for being the "boss" of Tammany Hall
William Kidd, Scottish sailor
William Jones, Anglo-Welsh philologist
William Shakespeare, -->bapt
William Kennedy Dickson, Scottish inventor
William Barnes, English writer, poet, Church of England priest
William Gibson, American-Canadian speculative fiction writer and essayist widely credited with pioneering the science fiction subgenre known as cyberpunk
William Blake, English poet, painter, and printmaker
William Morris, British textile designer, poet, novelist

William Henry Harrison, William Henry Harrison Sr
William Thomson, 1st Baron Kelvin, Scots-Irish mathematical physicist and engineer
William Lyon Mackenzie King, dominant Canadian political leader
William Empson, English literary critic and poet
William McKinley, 25th president of the United States, serving
William Howard Taft, 27th president of the United States and the tenth chief justice of the United States
William Allen, Democratic Representative
William Randolph Hearst, William Randolph Hearst Sr
William Saroyan, Armenian-American novelist, playwright
William S. Burroughs, American writer and visual artist
William Marsh Rice, American businessman
William McGonagall, Scottish weaver, poet and actor

William Faulkner, American writer and Nobel Prize laureate
William Wallace, Scottish knight
William Bligh, officer of the Royal Navy and a colonial administrator
William Goldman, American novelist, playwright, and screenwriter
William the Lion, "the Rough"
William the Conqueror, first Norman King of England

200 Floral Names for Boys in Bloom

160+ Noble Baby Names - Majestic Monikers

Alternatives to Popular Baby Names

48 Names for your Little Samurai

Sources

Social Security Administration, https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/index.html
Office for National Statistics, https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/livebirths
Central Statistics Office - An Phríomh-Oifig Staidrimh, https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/babynames
Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques, https://www.insee.fr/fr/statistiques/2540004
Sociale Verzekeringsbank, https://statbel.fgov.be/en/themes/population/family-names-and-first-names/first-names-boys-and-girls
Office fédéral de la statistique, https://www.bfs.admin.ch/bfs/fr/home/statistiques/population/naissances-deces/prenoms-nouveaux-nes.html
Sociale Verzekeringsbank, https://www.svb.nl/nl/kindernamen/
Danmarks Statistik, https://www.dst.dk/en/Statistik/emner/borgere/navne
SCB- Statistikmyndigheten, https://www.scb.se/en/finding-statistics/statistics-by-subject-area/population/general-statistics/name-statistics/
Births Deaths And Marriages Victoria, https://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/births/naming-your-child/popular-baby-names-in-victoria
Department of Jutsice, Government of Western Australia, https://bdm.justice.wa.gov.au/_apps/BabyNames/Default.aspx?uid=1144-3594-8619-1127
NT.GOV.AU, https://nt.gov.au/law/bdm/popular-baby-names
Queensland Government - Open Data Portal, https://www.data.qld.gov.au/dataset/top-100-baby-names
NSW Government, https://www.nsw.gov.au/family-and-relationships/births/popular-baby-names

Share your opinion on William