unisex name
Billie
BIL-ee
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Unisex
- Syllables 2
- Letters 6
- Popularity Top 1000 (E&W)
- Births on record 146,222
the United States
#693
2025 births
Billie is a name of Germanic origin meaning "resolute protector." It is a pet form of William, from wil, will, and helm, helmet — and though it began as male, it is now given mostly to girls.
- Billie is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in US records in 1930, when 4,715 babies were given the name.
- After peaking in the 1930s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival in US records.
- Today about 1 in 1,568 babies in England and Wales is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
Billie over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. Billie is more popular in England and Wales — see the country table below. The striped bar is the 2020s, still in progress — it covers 2020 to 2025, not a full ten years.
Show the numbers
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 157 |
| 1890s | 342 |
| 1900s | 1,202 |
| 1910s | 6,013 |
| 1920s | 28,019 |
| 1930s | 33,000 |
| 1940s | 20,113 |
| 1950s | 13,821 |
| 1960s | 9,343 |
| 1970s | 11,179 |
| 1980s | 5,061 |
| 1990s | 2,523 |
| 2000s | 1,282 |
| 2010s | 1,254 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 1,991 |
What Billie means
Billie means one whose will protects. The first element is determination and the second a helmet, so the name pairs resolve with defense rather than describing either alone.
Where Billie comes from
Billie comes from William, from the Germanic Wilhelm — wil, will or desire, and helm, helmet or protection. Bill emerged from Will by the medieval habit of swapping the initial letter of rhyming pet forms, the same change behind Bob from Rob. Billie is its -ie form, and its shift toward female use is twentieth-century and largely musical: Billie Holiday, born Eleanora Fagan in 1915, took the name from the actress Billie Dove, and Billie Eilish has carried it to a new generation.
Billie in use
Our data records Billie for both sexes and marks it reviving, peaking in 1930, at 151 in England and Wales. It first appears in our records in 1880. Its current British revival is overwhelmingly female, while the historical peak was mixed — a gender shift our year-by-year series can show but reference works do not record.
How popular is Billie?
In 2025, Billie was given to 336 babies in England and Wales, ranking #151 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
Where Billie is used
England and Wales figures withhold any name given to fewer than three babies in a year. The historical chart above uses US records, the only series running back to 1880. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside Billie
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like Billie also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with Billie over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
2 nicknames for Billie
Each one is a name in its own right — the figure underneath is how it is doing today, so you can see which short forms are rising and which have faded.
Billie in other languages
The same name as it is spelled elsewhere — not shortenings, and not different names that merely sound alike. Each one has its own record here.
- Dutch
- Wilhelmina
- Polish
- Wilhelmina
- Swedish
- Wilhelmina
Sibling names for Billie
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with Billie — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about Billie
What does the name Billie mean?
Billie means "resolute protector," from the Germanic wil, will, and helm, helmet, by way of William.
Is Billie a boy's or a girl's name?
Both, though its current British revival is overwhelmingly female. Our data records it as unisex.
Where did Billie Holiday's name come from?
She was born Eleanora Fagan and took Billie from the actress Billie Dove.
How popular is the name Billie?
In 2025, Billie was given to 336 babies in England and Wales, ranking #151 that year. It is well established in England and Wales.
How many syllables are in Billie?
Billie has 2 syllables.
When was Billie most popular?
Billie peaked in 1930, when 4,715 babies were given the name. After peaking in the 1930s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival.
What are the nicknames for Billie?
Billie is usually shortened to Bill and Bee.
Is Billie a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. Billie currently ranks #94 in the United States. After peaking in the 1930s it fell out of use, and is now climbing again — a classic revival. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.