William Boy

Popularity: #10 · Trend: ↘ Falling

Name Meaning & Origin Pronunciation: WIL-yum //ˈwɪljəm//

Origin: Germanic; Old High German

Meaning: Germanic: resolute protector; Old High German: will- (will, desire) + helm (helmet, protection)

Historical & Cultural Background

The name William has its roots in the Germanic elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protection." This etymology can be traced back to the Old High German name "Willahelm," which evolved into the Old French "Guillaume" following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. The name entered the English language as William, reflecting the linguistic shifts that occurred during this period, as the Normans brought their language and culture to England, significantly influencing the English lexicon.

Historically, the name William has been borne by numerous notable figures, contributing to its prominence. One of the most significant was William the Conqueror, who became the first Norman King of England in 1066.

His reign marked a pivotal moment in English history, leading to the establishment of Norman rule and the introduction of feudalism. The name was further popularized by subsequent kings, including William II and William III, as well as saints such as Saint William of York, who lived in the 12th century.

The name's presence in historical texts, including the Domesday Book and various chronicles, underscores its importance in medieval society. Culturally, the name William has been associated with nobility and leadership, often symbolizing strength and protection due to its etymological roots.

It has been a favored name in literature and the arts, appearing in works by Shakespeare, such as "Henry V," where the character embodies the qualities of a strong leader. Additionally, diminutive forms like Will and Willy have emerged, reflecting a more personal or affectionate usage of the name.

Overall, William's enduring legacy is marked by its historical significance and cultural resonance, making it a name of considerable weight throughout the centuries.

Famous people named William

In this section, you will find notable people named William. We include individuals across a wide range of fields, including actors known for their work in film, television, and stage productions. You'll also find musicians, directors, and other public figures named William who have made a significant impact on popular culture.

We also feature individuals named William who have made meaningful contributions to science, politics, athletics, literature, and other areas of public interest.

Please note that not every baby name in our database currently has a famous namesake listed. If you would like to suggest a name we may have missed or submit a correction, feel free to contact us. We review and finalize additions and corrections within 24 hours.

William Shakespeare is a playwright and poet best known for Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, and Macbeth.

William Faulkner is a novelist best known for The Sound and the Fury, As I Lay Dying, and Light in August.

William Wordsworth is a poet best known for Lyrical Ballads, I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud, and Tintern Abbey.

William Golding is a novelist best known for Lord of the Flies, The Inheritors, and The Spire.

William Morris is a designer and writer best known for The Kelmscott Press, News from Nowhere, and The Earthly Paradise.

William Blake is a poet and artist best known for Songs of Innocence and of Experience, The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, and The Book of Urizen.

William Howard Taft is a U.S. President best known for being the only person to serve as both President and Chief Justice of the United States.

William Hurt is an actor best known for Kiss of the Spider Woman, Broadcast News, and The Big Chill.

William Shatner is an actor best known for Star Trek, T.J. Hooker, and Boston Legal.

William H. Macy is an actor best known for Fargo, Shameless, and Boogie Nights.

William Gibson is an author best known for Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive.

William Zinsser is an author and journalist best known for On Writing Well, Writing to Learn, and Writing About Your Life.

William Styron is a novelist best known for Sophie's Choice, The Confessions of Nat Turner, and Darkness Visible.

William S. Burroughs is an author best known for Naked Lunch, Junky, and The Ticket That Exploded.

William Blake is a poet and painter best known for The Songs of Innocence and of Experience, and The Marriage of Heaven and Hell.

Fictional characters named William

The following list of fictional characters named William 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.

William Wallace is a fictional character from the film Braveheart. He is a Scottish knight who leads his countrymen in a rebellion against English rule.

William Munny is a fictional character from the film Unforgiven. He is a retired outlaw who reluctantly returns to his violent ways for one last job.

William Riker is a fictional character from the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He is the first officer of the starship Enterprise-D and a key member of the crew.

William Stryker is a fictional character from the X-Men film series. He is a military officer and antagonist who seeks to eliminate mutants.

William T. Riker is a fictional character from the Star Trek franchise. He is known for his role as the first officer aboard the USS Enterprise-D and later the USS Titan.

Sibling suggestions

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

JamesHenryCharlesEdwardThomasGeorgeAlexander

Similar names

Based on our extensive baby names database, several names share stylistic or phonetic similarities with William. 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.

LiamWalterWinstonWilburWaylonWesleyWillardWhitman

U.S. Historical Usage

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

William has ranked as high as #6 nationally, which occurred in 1947, and has been most popular in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, and Illinois.

In the past 5 years the name William has been trending down compared to the previous 5 years.

Popularity Over Time (National)

The name William 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 William was first recorded in the United States and illustrates how its popularity has risen and fallen over time.

Top States for William (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.

State Births Share
TX 930
9%
CA 790
8%
NC 501
5%
NY 475
5%
GA 462
5%
FL 456
4%
TN 421
4%
VA 397
4%
OH 371
4%
IL 357
4%
PA 333
3%
AL 314
3%
SC 274
3%
MI 272
3%
MA 258
3%

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 William.

YearBirths
202410,596
202310,653
202211,349
202112,166
202012,673
201913,649
201814,645
201715,042
201615,808
201515,945
201416,847
201316,665
201216,914
201117,359
201017,071
200917,935
200818,403
200718,894
200618,963
200519,060
200420,235
200319,999
200220,136
200120,110
200020,669
199920,716
199820,835
199720,020
199620,544
199520,160
199421,491
199322,219
199223,066
199123,858
199024,909
198924,674
198824,125
198724,203
198624,333
198524,608
198424,902
198325,396
198225,606
198124,801
198025,638
197924,680
197824,174
197724,757
197624,433
197525,562
197426,977
197328,015
197230,512
197135,416
197038,889
196937,608
196836,928
196737,619
196638,240
196540,111
196444,223
196344,444
196244,859
196148,035
196049,344
195951,385
195854,254
195756,850
195658,990
195559,985
195461,431
195361,830
195263,039
195162,783
195060,679
194961,504
194861,970
194767,001
194660,030
194550,218
194452,373
194355,904
194254,891
194147,797
194044,781
193942,073
193842,432
193740,724
193639,398
193540,200
193440,176
193339,047
193242,127
193143,280
193047,271
192947,814
192849,119
192751,476
192651,922
192553,309
192453,506
192352,136
192251,112
192151,862
192050,146
191943,970
191845,291
191742,422
191640,418
191538,563
191429,753
191323,538
191219,626
191110,593
19108,844
19097,913
19087,529
19076,904
19066,566
19056,495
19046,416
19036,311
19026,617
19015,990
19008,579
18996,086
18987,400
18977,198
18967,747
18957,277
18947,274
18937,223
18927,782
18916,763
18907,494
18897,772
18888,705
18877,470
18868,252
18858,044
18848,897
18838,387
18829,298
18818,524
18809,532