Is Williams a boy, girl, or unisex name?

Williams is commonly used as a Boy name.

How popular is Williams?

It's currently ranked #871 in the U.S. Recent trend: Rising.

Williams Boy

Popularity: #871 · Trend: ↗ Rising

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WIL-yums /ˈwɪljəmz/

Origin: English; Germanic

Meaning: English: resolute protector; Germanic: will helmet

Historical & Cultural Background

The name Williams is of English origin and is derived from the Old Germanic name Wilhelm, which is composed of the elements 'wil' meaning 'will or desire' and 'helm' meaning 'helmet or protection'. The name Wilhelm was introduced to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest of 1066, where it evolved into various forms, including William.

The patronymic form, Williams, signifies 'son of William', and it became a common surname in England by the Middle Ages, reflecting the widespread use of William as a first name among the nobility and commoners alike. Historically, the name William has been borne by numerous notable figures, including William the Conqueror, who was the first Norman King of England, reigning from 1066 to 1087.

His legacy significantly impacted English culture and language, as the Norman influence introduced many French words into English. Additionally, several English monarchs have carried the name, including William II, who ruled from 1087 to 1100, and William III, who reigned from 1689 to 1702.

The name also appears in religious contexts, notably in the King James Bible, which was published in 1611, although the name itself does not appear in biblical texts. Culturally, the name Williams has been associated with strength and leadership, reflecting its roots in the meanings of its components.

It has been a popular name in literature and history, often symbolizing nobility and valor. The diminutive form, Will, has also been used historically, further embedding the name into English-speaking culture.

The enduring nature of the name Williams can be attributed to its strong historical associations and the respect afforded to those who have borne it throughout the centuries.

Fictional characters named Williams

The following list of fictional characters named Williams is a work in progress. If you would like to suggest an additional character, please send us the character's name along with a brief, one-sentence description of what they are best known for.

You may also submit corrections, which we will review and update as quickly as possible.

Williams is a fictional character from the video game series Metal Gear Solid. He is a member of the U.S. military and plays a significant role in the storyline surrounding the conflict and espionage themes of the series.

Sibling suggestions

If you're looking for sibling name ideas that pair well with Williams, the following options are frequently chosen as complementary choices by parents.

James Henry Thomas Charles Edward George

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with Williams. These names can serve as alternatives to the sibling suggestions listed above and may help you find the perfect complementary name for your growing family.

William Willard Wilbur Winston Wallace Whitman Wesley

U.S. Historical Usage

The name Williams was first seen in the United States in 1880.

Williams has ranked as high as #922 nationally, which occurred in 1950, and has been most popular in Mississippi, California, Georgia, Texas, and Alabama.

In the past 5 years the name Williams has been trending up compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name Williams is part of our comprehensive baby names database, which includes Social Security Administration (SSA) data dating back to 1880—the first official year of state and national tracking. The chart below shows when Williams was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for Williams (2024)

We track the most popular states for each baby name every year and highlight the locations where the name appears most frequently. In some cases, you may see four or five states listed. However, we only display states where the name represents a significant percentage of births, so the number of states shown can range from one to several.

Year:

State	Births	Share
TX	10	67%
NY	5	33%

Popularity Over Time (National) — Table

We track the national popularity of each baby name annually. The table below displays each year along with the number of births reported by the Social Security Administration. This data combines all state-level reporting from the SSA's baby names database to provide a comprehensive view of overall birth counts for Williams.

Year	Births
2024	53
2023	57
2022	40
2021	46
2020	37
2019	45
2018	52
2017	42
2016	36
2015	45
2014	38
2013	40
2012	47
2011	45
2010	36
2009	56
2008	68
2007	63
2006	57
2005	53
2004	52
2003	58
2002	62
2001	63
2000	48
1999	53
1998	42
1997	47
1996	46
1995	29
1994	51
1993	59
1992	54
1991	44
1990	69
1989	39
1988	44
1987	47
1986	43
1985	33
1984	35
1983	33
1982	44
1981	29
1980	36
1979	33
1978	37
1977	28
1976	43
1975	42
1974	45
1973	33
1972	46
1971	58
1970	39
1969	52
1968	46
1967	45
1966	47
1965	54
1964	46
1963	56
1962	45
1961	66
1960	53
1959	60
1958	59
1957	65
1956	58
1955	75
1954	50
1953	51
1952	46
1951	56
1950	86
1949	64
1948	59
1947	60
1946	64
1945	48
1944	54
1943	50
1942	54
1941	47
1940	73
1939	50
1938	51
1937	57
1936	41
1935	64
1934	56
1933	42
1932	57
1931	55
1930	74
1929	58
1928	66
1927	68
1926	68
1925	47
1924	65
1923	54
1922	53
1921	51
1920	73
1919	45
1918	55
1917	44
1916	55
1915	53
1914	45
1913	21
1912	31
1911	22
1910	15
1909	20
1908	18
1907	11
1906	12
1905	12
1904	15
1903	9
1902	11
1901	11
1900	15
1899	9
1898	12
1897	14
1896	9
1895	10
1894	12
1893	7
1892	16
1891	7
1890	10
1889	6
1888	9
1887	13
1886	13
1885	11
1884	11
1883	13
1882	7
1881	7
1880	11