William
William is a classic Germanic name meaning 'resolute protector' or 'strong-willed warrior,' derived from the elements 'wil' (will, desire) and 'helm' (helmet, protection). It was brought to England by William the Conqueror in 1066 and has remained a royal and distinguished name ever since.
Current Popularity
Popularity over time
Dashed bar: 2026 (projected): 10,487. How this is calculated
Yearly values
- 2011: 17,362
- 2012: 16,917
- 2013: 16,669
- 2014: 16,851
- 2015: 15,950
- 2016: 15,810
- 2017: 15,046
- 2018: 14,646
- 2019: 13,658
- 2020: 12,676
- 2021: 12,170
- 2022: 11,356
- 2023: 10,673
- 2024: 10,647
- 2025: 10,545
- 2026 (projected): 10,487
Good to Know
- •Consistently ranked among the top names for over a century
- •Easy to spell and pronounce across many languages
- •Strong royal and historical associations give it gravitas
- •Multiple nickname options allow for personality expression
- •Very popular - your child may share this name with classmates
- •Multiple spelling variations exist
Similar Names
Famous People
William Shakespeare
Playwright and poet
Prince William
Prince of Wales
William Faulkner
Nobel Prize-winning author
Bill Gates
Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist
Statistics
4,199,696
Total births since 1880
1947
Peak year
Discovery
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