boy's name
William
WIL-yum
- Origin Germanic
- Gender Boy
- Syllables 2
- Letters 7
- Popularity Top 100 (US)
- Births on record 4,521,815
the United States
#9
2025 births
William is a boy's name of Germanic origin meaning "resolute protection," from wil, meaning will or desire, and helm, meaning helmet. It arrived in England with William the Conqueror in 1066 and became one of the most common English names for the following nine centuries.
- William is a name of Germanic origin.
- Peaked in 1947, when 67,156 babies were given the name.
- Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
- Today about 1 in 314 babies in the United States is given this name.
- 2 syllables, with the stress on syllable 1.
William over time
Births per decade in the United States, 1880s to 2020s. 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 | 85,246 |
| 1890s | 72,618 |
| 1900s | 69,646 |
| 1910s | 304,150 |
| 1920s | 515,057 |
| 1930s | 418,633 |
| 1940s | 557,985 |
| 1950s | 592,617 |
| 1960s | 423,227 |
| 1970s | 285,259 |
| 1980s | 249,961 |
| 1990s | 218,261 |
| 2000s | 194,769 |
| 2010s | 160,165 |
| 2020s (to 2025) | 68,131 |
What William means
William combines determination with defense: wil expresses will or desire, and helm means helmet, extended to mean protection. Together they give a sense of resolute or determined protection, a construction typical of early Germanic two-part warrior names.
Where William comes from
William descends from the Germanic Willahelm, formed from wil and helm. It was common among the Franks and passed into Old French as Guillaume and Norman French as Willaume. Its dominance in England begins abruptly in 1066, when William, Duke of Normandy, took the English throne; within a century it was among the most common male names in the country, and it has never left widespread use since. The name produced an unusually large set of short forms — Will, Bill, Billy, Liam, and the Welsh Gwilym among them — and Bill is thought to have arisen from a medieval habit of rhyming pet forms, the same process that turned Robert into Bob.
William in use
Bill most likely comes from a medieval fashion for rhyming nicknames rather than from anything in the name itself.
How popular is William?
In 2025, William was given to 10,552 babies in the United States, ranking #9 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Where William is used
US figures omit any name given to fewer than five babies in a year, so the rarest names are absent from the source rather than absent from use. Data & sources.
Names that peaked alongside William
These names rose and fell in the same era, which is why they tend to sound like they belong together.
Parents who like William also like
Names whose popularity has risen and fallen in step with William over the last century — the same taste, a different name.
10 nicknames for William
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.
William 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.
Sibling names for William
Names from the same era that won't rhyme or share an initial with William — the two things that make a sibling set grate.
Common questions about William
What does the name William mean?
William means "resolute protection," from the Germanic wil (will) and helm (helmet).
Why is Bill short for William?
Bill most likely comes from a medieval habit of forming rhyming nicknames, the same pattern that gave Bob from Robert.
When did William become common in England?
After 1066, when William the Conqueror took the English throne.
How popular is the name William?
In 2025, William was given to 10,552 babies in the United States, ranking #9 that year. It is one of the most popular names in the United States.
Is William a girl's or a boy's name?
William is given almost entirely to boys in birth records.
How many syllables are in William?
William has 2 syllables.
When was William most popular?
William peaked in 1947, when 67,156 babies were given the name. Its usage has held steady over the past decade.
What are the nicknames for William?
William is usually shortened to Will, Bill, Billy, Wil, Liam and Willy.
Is William a good name?
That is not something records can settle, but they can tell you what you would be choosing. William currently ranks #5 in the United States. Its usage has held steady over the past decade. Everything else — how it sounds with your surname, who it reminds you of — is yours.