Fun Facts About the Name William
- A favorite across generations: William stayed in the U.S. top 100 every year from 1880 through 2025 - 146 consecutive years.
- An all-time favorite: U.S. records show 4,199,549 boys named William from 1880 through 2025.
- More than 4 million babies named William: U.S. records list 4,215,578 babies given the name William from 1880 through 2025. Even 16,029 girls received the name William - about 1 girl for every 262 boys.
What Does the Name William Mean?
William comes from the Germanic two-part name Willahelm (also recorded as Willehelm), built from wil or willio, "will, desire," and helm, "helmet, protection." Taken word for word the sense is closer to "will-helmet," in which the helmet stands for a defender; "resolute protector" is the customary interpretation rather than a literal translation. The name reached English through Norman French Willaume, the northern French form of what became standard French Guillaume; the Germanic w shifted to g in French, as it did in other words taken into that language during the early Middle Ages.
Medieval Latin wrote the name Willelmus, and from that or from related Germanic forms came Spanish Guillermo, Italian Guglielmo, Portuguese Guilherme, German Wilhelm, Dutch Willem, and Scandinavian Vilhelm. Old English had a native relative, Wilhelm, from the same Germanic source; it is the Norman French line of transmission, not that native form, that produced the English name as it is spelled today.
William Name History & Origins
Two-part Germanic names of this type were common among the Franks and other West Germanic peoples, and the name appears in early medieval records in forms such as Willahelm and Willehelm. It was the Normans who planted it firmly in England: their dialect of French used Willelm, Willaume, and Willeaume, and after 1066 the name is found widely in English documents. The Norman duke who took the English throne in that year bore it, and it was carried by later English kings, including William II, William III, and William IV.
Religious use reinforced the name. William of Gellone, a cousin of Charlemagne who founded the abbey of Gellone in southern France, was venerated as a saint and canonized in 1066. In Scotland, William the Lion, king from 1165 to 1214, bore the name, and Scottish Gaelic adopted it as Uilleam.
The familiar English short forms Will and Bill go back to the Middle Ages; Bill belongs to the old habit of exchanging an initial consonant in pet forms, as with Robert and Bob or Richard and Dick. Liam, now often used on its own, began as an Irish short form of Uilliam, the Irish borrowing of William. The name also underlies surnames such as Williams, Williamson, Wilson, and Fitzwilliam.
How Popular is the Name William?
William has maintained century-spanning popularity, remaining an unbroken fixture in the U.S. top 100 continuously from 1880 to 2025.
U.S. name popularity from 1880-2025, based on SSA data. Rank shows how the name compares with other names - lower numbers mean greater popularity. Births shows how many babies received the name each year.
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #13,115 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2024 | #11,017 | 9 | 0.0006% |
| 2023 | #15,064 | 6 | 0.0004% |
| 2022 | #13,487 | 7 | 0.0004% |
| 2021 | #5,938 | 21 | 0.0013% |
| 2020 | #7,942 | 14 | 0.0009% |
| 2019 | #9,082 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2018 | #9,125 | 12 | 0.0007% |
| 2017 | #6,791 | 18 | 0.0010% |
| 2016 | #6,386 | 20 | 0.0011% |
| 2015 | #7,988 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2014 | #5,786 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2013 | #8,553 | 14 | 0.0008% |
| 2012 | #6,855 | 19 | 0.0011% |
| 2011 | #5,056 | 28 | 0.0016% |
| 2010 | #5,970 | 23 | 0.0013% |
| 2009 | #8,437 | 15 | 0.0008% |
| 2008 | #5,271 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2007 | #5,516 | 26 | 0.0014% |
| 2006 | #7,129 | 18 | 0.0009% |
| 2005 | #4,824 | 28 | 0.0015% |
| 2004 | #1,744 | 111 | 0.0060% |
| 2003 | #4,212 | 32 | 0.0018% |
| 2002 | #3,881 | 34 | 0.0019% |
| 2001 | #5,002 | 24 | 0.0013% |
| 2000 | #3,522 | 38 | 0.0021% |
| 1999 | #4,440 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1998 | #3,423 | 36 | 0.0020% |
| 1997 | #4,237 | 26 | 0.0015% |
| 1996 | #2,959 | 41 | 0.0023% |
| 1995 | #2,683 | 46 | 0.0026% |
| 1994 | #2,748 | 45 | 0.0025% |
| 1993 | #2,880 | 42 | 0.0023% |
| 1992 | #2,238 | 60 | 0.0033% |
| 1991 | #2,319 | 56 | 0.0030% |
| 1990 | #2,152 | 61 | 0.0032% |
| 1989 | #1,531 | 94 | 0.0051% |
| 1988 | #1,006 | 163 | 0.0092% |
| 1987 | #958 | 169 | 0.0097% |
| 1986 | #957 | 165 | 0.0096% |
| 1985 | #879 | 183 | 0.0106% |
| 1984 | #934 | 158 | 0.0094% |
| 1983 | #822 | 187 | 0.0112% |
| 1982 | #871 | 178 | 0.0105% |
| 1981 | #888 | 171 | 0.0103% |
| 1980 | #766 | 216 | 0.0130% |
| 1979 | #823 | 191 | 0.0119% |
| 1978 | #807 | 186 | 0.0121% |
| 1977 | #805 | 187 | 0.0122% |
| 1976 | #739 | 200 | 0.0137% |
| 1975 | #830 | 163 | 0.0112% |
| 1974 | #803 | 169 | 0.0115% |
| 1973 | #806 | 163 | 0.0112% |
| 1972 | #729 | 193 | 0.0127% |
| 1971 | #741 | 201 | 0.0121% |
| 1970 | #728 | 205 | 0.0117% |
| 1969 | #716 | 199 | 0.0118% |
| 1968 | #705 | 192 | 0.0117% |
| 1967 | #723 | 185 | 0.0112% |
| 1966 | #735 | 180 | 0.0106% |
| 1965 | #790 | 157 | 0.0089% |
| 1964 | #838 | 156 | 0.0082% |
| 1963 | #768 | 181 | 0.0094% |
| 1962 | #786 | 175 | 0.0089% |
| 1961 | #729 | 204 | 0.0101% |
| 1960 | #809 | 165 | 0.0082% |
| 1959 | #824 | 155 | 0.0077% |
| 1958 | #795 | 160 | 0.0080% |
| 1957 | #776 | 168 | 0.0082% |
| 1956 | #801 | 154 | 0.0077% |
| 1955 | #915 | 116 | 0.0059% |
| 1954 | #837 | 127 | 0.0065% |
| 1953 | #805 | 131 | 0.0070% |
| 1952 | #738 | 145 | 0.0078% |
| 1951 | #868 | 108 | 0.0060% |
| 1950 | #776 | 125 | 0.0073% |
| 1949 | #752 | 131 | 0.0077% |
| 1948 | #668 | 157 | 0.0092% |
| 1947 | #677 | 154 | 0.0087% |
| 1946 | #630 | 157 | 0.0100% |
| 1945 | #609 | 142 | 0.0109% |
| 1944 | #629 | 136 | 0.0102% |
| 1943 | #583 | 168 | 0.0120% |
| 1942 | #567 | 170 | 0.0126% |
| 1941 | #597 | 140 | 0.0116% |
| 1940 | #564 | 152 | 0.0133% |
| 1939 | #540 | 152 | 0.0139% |
| 1938 | #590 | 138 | 0.0125% |
| 1937 | #514 | 164 | 0.0154% |
| 1936 | #523 | 154 | 0.0148% |
| 1935 | #498 | 163 | 0.0155% |
| 1934 | #487 | 175 | 0.0168% |
| 1933 | #469 | 195 | 0.0193% |
| 1932 | #429 | 235 | 0.0220% |
| 1931 | #419 | 238 | 0.0224% |
| 1930 | #399 | 289 | 0.0257% |
| 1929 | #362 | 337 | 0.0302% |
| 1928 | #369 | 348 | 0.0302% |
| 1927 | #382 | 321 | 0.0269% |
| 1926 | #395 | 303 | 0.0256% |
| 1925 | #404 | 289 | 0.0237% |
| 1924 | #445 | 245 | 0.0196% |
| 1923 | #460 | 225 | 0.0187% |
| 1922 | #500 | 194 | 0.0162% |
| 1921 | #517 | 189 | 0.0153% |
| 1920 | #480 | 204 | 0.0170% |
| 1919 | #515 | 175 | 0.0155% |
| 1918 | #536 | 172 | 0.0149% |
| 1917 | #519 | 165 | 0.0153% |
| 1916 | #576 | 136 | 0.0130% |
| 1915 | #569 | 129 | 0.0131% |
| 1914 | #576 | 97 | 0.0127% |
| 1913 | #530 | 94 | 0.0151% |
| 1912 | #554 | 78 | 0.0140% |
| 1911 | #609 | 50 | 0.0120% |
| 1910 | #704 | 37 | 0.0093% |
| 1909 | #682 | 35 | 0.0101% |
| 1908 | #562 | 45 | 0.0135% |
| 1907 | #709 | 29 | 0.0091% |
| 1906 | #706 | 28 | 0.0095% |
| 1905 | #682 | 28 | 0.0096% |
| 1904 | #709 | 25 | 0.0091% |
| 1903 | #557 | 35 | 0.0134% |
| 1902 | #687 | 25 | 0.0095% |
| 1901 | #545 | 32 | 0.0134% |
| 1900 | #514 | 44 | 0.0147% |
| 1899 | #663 | 23 | 0.0099% |
| 1898 | #485 | 41 | 0.0158% |
| 1897 | #529 | 32 | 0.0137% |
| 1896 | #439 | 44 | 0.0185% |
| 1895 | #464 | 40 | 0.0171% |
| 1894 | #493 | 34 | 0.0153% |
| 1893 | #486 | 32 | 0.0150% |
| 1892 | #405 | 44 | 0.0207% |
| 1891 | #354 | 50 | 0.0270% |
| 1890 | #445 | 34 | 0.0179% |
| 1889 | #357 | 46 | 0.0258% |
| 1888 | #371 | 42 | 0.0235% |
| 1887 | #323 | 44 | 0.0301% |
| 1886 | #364 | 35 | 0.0242% |
| 1885 | #353 | 33 | 0.0248% |
| 1884 | #340 | 34 | 0.0264% |
| 1883 | #281 | 40 | 0.0356% |
| 1882 | #322 | 31 | 0.0287% |
| 1881 | #289 | 30 | 0.0326% |
| 1880 | #287 | 30 | 0.0330% |
| Year | Rank | Births | % |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #9 | 10,545 | 0.6174% |
| 2024 | #10 | 10,596 | 0.6177% |
| 2023 | #10 | 10,653 | 0.6235% |
| 2022 | #6 | 11,349 | 0.6506% |
| 2021 | #6 | 12,166 | 0.6959% |
| 2020 | #5 | 12,673 | 0.7346% |
| 2019 | #4 | 13,649 | 0.7611% |
| 2018 | #3 | 14,645 | 0.8067% |
| 2017 | #3 | 15,042 | 0.8129% |
| 2016 | #3 | 15,808 | 0.8332% |
| 2015 | #5 | 15,945 | 0.8321% |
| 2014 | #5 | 16,847 | 0.8772% |
| 2013 | #5 | 16,665 | 0.8812% |
| 2012 | #5 | 16,914 | 0.8918% |
| 2011 | #3 | 17,359 | 0.9141% |
| 2010 | #5 | 17,071 | 0.8899% |
| 2009 | #5 | 17,935 | 0.9043% |
| 2008 | #8 | 18,403 | 0.9021% |
| 2007 | #8 | 18,894 | 0.9105% |
| 2006 | #10 | 18,963 | 0.9227% |
| 2005 | #11 | 19,060 | 0.9544% |
| 2004 | #8 | 20,235 | 1.0195% |
| 2003 | #11 | 19,999 | 1.0125% |
| 2002 | #11 | 20,136 | 1.0372% |
| 2001 | #10 | 20,110 | 1.0351% |
| 2000 | #11 | 20,669 | 1.0524% |
| 1999 | #14 | 20,716 | 1.0789% |
| 1998 | #14 | 20,835 | 1.0901% |
| 1997 | #19 | 20,020 | 1.0620% |
| 1996 | #18 | 20,544 | 1.0846% |
| 1995 | #20 | 20,160 | 1.0590% |
| 1994 | #19 | 21,491 | 1.1124% |
| 1993 | #18 | 22,219 | 1.1329% |
| 1992 | #20 | 23,066 | 1.1548% |
| 1991 | #19 | 23,858 | 1.1809% |
| 1990 | #16 | 24,909 | 1.2127% |
| 1989 | #15 | 24,674 | 1.2331% |
| 1988 | #16 | 24,125 | 1.2603% |
| 1987 | #15 | 24,203 | 1.2964% |
| 1986 | #15 | 24,333 | 1.3213% |
| 1985 | #16 | 24,608 | 1.3314% |
| 1984 | #16 | 24,902 | 1.3797% |
| 1983 | #16 | 25,396 | 1.4166% |
| 1982 | #15 | 25,606 | 1.4111% |
| 1981 | #15 | 24,801 | 1.3845% |
| 1980 | #14 | 25,638 | 1.4370% |
| 1979 | #13 | 24,680 | 1.4335% |
| 1978 | #13 | 24,174 | 1.4722% |
| 1977 | #12 | 24,757 | 1.5065% |
| 1976 | #11 | 24,433 | 1.5571% |
| 1975 | #10 | 25,562 | 1.6370% |
| 1974 | #10 | 26,977 | 1.7156% |
| 1973 | #9 | 28,015 | 1.7974% |
| 1972 | #9 | 30,512 | 1.8814% |
| 1971 | #7 | 35,416 | 2.0026% |
| 1970 | #7 | 38,889 | 2.0927% |
| 1969 | #6 | 37,608 | 2.1030% |
| 1968 | #6 | 36,928 | 2.1247% |
| 1967 | #6 | 37,619 | 2.1572% |
| 1966 | #6 | 38,240 | 2.1441% |
| 1965 | #6 | 40,111 | 2.1562% |
| 1964 | #7 | 44,223 | 2.2192% |
| 1963 | #7 | 44,444 | 2.1885% |
| 1962 | #7 | 44,859 | 2.1684% |
| 1961 | #7 | 48,035 | 2.2616% |
| 1960 | #7 | 49,344 | 2.3145% |
| 1959 | #7 | 51,385 | 2.4073% |
| 1958 | #6 | 54,254 | 2.5564% |
| 1957 | #6 | 56,850 | 2.6352% |
| 1956 | #6 | 58,990 | 2.7887% |
| 1955 | #6 | 59,985 | 2.9122% |
| 1954 | #6 | 61,431 | 3.0131% |
| 1953 | #6 | 61,830 | 3.1349% |
| 1952 | #6 | 63,039 | 3.2433% |
| 1951 | #6 | 62,783 | 3.3344% |
| 1950 | #6 | 60,679 | 3.3893% |
| 1949 | #4 | 61,504 | 3.4672% |
| 1948 | #4 | 61,970 | 3.5318% |
| 1947 | #4 | 67,001 | 3.6621% |
| 1946 | #4 | 60,030 | 3.6964% |
| 1945 | #4 | 50,218 | 3.7314% |
| 1944 | #4 | 52,373 | 3.8429% |
| 1943 | #4 | 55,904 | 3.9169% |
| 1942 | #4 | 54,891 | 3.9744% |
| 1941 | #4 | 47,797 | 3.8913% |
| 1940 | #4 | 44,781 | 3.8632% |
| 1939 | #4 | 42,073 | 3.8012% |
| 1938 | #4 | 42,432 | 3.8257% |
| 1937 | #4 | 40,724 | 3.8180% |
| 1936 | #4 | 39,398 | 3.7985% |
| 1935 | #4 | 40,200 | 3.8605% |
| 1934 | #4 | 40,176 | 3.8908% |
| 1933 | #4 | 39,047 | 3.9381% |
| 1932 | #4 | 42,127 | 4.0346% |
| 1931 | #4 | 43,280 | 4.1629% |
| 1930 | #4 | 47,271 | 4.3077% |
| 1929 | #4 | 47,814 | 4.4453% |
| 1928 | #4 | 49,119 | 4.4346% |
| 1927 | #4 | 51,476 | 4.5678% |
| 1926 | #4 | 51,922 | 4.6755% |
| 1925 | #3 | 53,309 | 4.7771% |
| 1924 | #3 | 53,506 | 4.7236% |
| 1923 | #3 | 52,136 | 4.7565% |
| 1922 | #3 | 51,112 | 4.6971% |
| 1921 | #3 | 51,862 | 4.7085% |
| 1920 | #2 | 50,146 | 4.7114% |
| 1919 | #2 | 43,970 | 4.4861% |
| 1918 | #2 | 45,291 | 4.4689% |
| 1917 | #2 | 42,422 | 4.5838% |
| 1916 | #2 | 40,418 | 4.5409% |
| 1915 | #2 | 38,563 | 4.5444% |
| 1914 | #2 | 29,753 | 4.5441% |
| 1913 | #2 | 23,538 | 4.5922% |
| 1912 | #2 | 19,626 | 4.5648% |
| 1911 | #2 | 10,593 | 4.6878% |
| 1910 | #3 | 8,844 | 4.5539% |
| 1909 | #2 | 7,913 | 4.8251% |
| 1908 | #2 | 7,529 | 4.8783% |
| 1907 | #2 | 6,904 | 4.7022% |
| 1906 | #2 | 6,566 | 4.9311% |
| 1905 | #2 | 6,495 | 4.9091% |
| 1904 | #2 | 6,416 | 5.0077% |
| 1903 | #2 | 6,311 | 5.2931% |
| 1902 | #2 | 6,617 | 5.3946% |
| 1901 | #2 | 5,990 | 5.6262% |
| 1900 | #2 | 8,579 | 5.7013% |
| 1899 | #2 | 6,086 | 5.7301% |
| 1898 | #2 | 7,400 | 6.0317% |
| 1897 | #2 | 7,198 | 6.3836% |
| 1896 | #2 | 7,747 | 6.4793% |
| 1895 | #2 | 7,277 | 6.1988% |
| 1894 | #2 | 7,274 | 6.2833% |
| 1893 | #2 | 7,223 | 6.4308% |
| 1892 | #2 | 7,782 | 6.3769% |
| 1891 | #2 | 6,763 | 6.6834% |
| 1890 | #2 | 7,494 | 6.7499% |
| 1889 | #2 | 7,772 | 7.0284% |
| 1888 | #2 | 8,705 | 7.2030% |
| 1887 | #2 | 7,470 | 7.3661% |
| 1886 | #2 | 8,252 | 7.4488% |
| 1885 | #2 | 8,044 | 7.4620% |
| 1884 | #2 | 8,897 | 7.7742% |
| 1883 | #2 | 8,387 | 8.0162% |
| 1882 | #2 | 9,298 | 8.1787% |
| 1881 | #2 | 8,524 | 8.4618% |
| 1880 | #2 | 9,532 | 8.6270% |
Name popularity over more than a century, based on Social Security Administration data. Gaps in the chart indicate years when the name does not appear in the published records.
