William
WIL-yum
William derives from Old High German Willahelm: “wil” (will, desire) and “helm” (helmet, protection), meaning “resolute protector.” The Proto-Germanic elements “*wiljaz” and “*helmaz” are well attested in Migration Period names.
William the Conqueror (r. 1066-1087) brought the Norman French Guillaume to England. Roughly 1 in 4 English men bore the name at points in the 12th and 13th centuries.
William the Marshal (c. 1147-1219) was considered the greatest knight of the age.
What the name William means
William Shakespeare (1564-1616) made the name synonymous with English literary achievement for over 4 centuries. William of Ockham originated the principle known as Occam’s Razor.
4 U.S. presidents bore the name: Harrison, McKinley, Taft, and Clinton (William Jefferson Clinton).
William has never left the U.S. top 20 in the entire history of federal birth records. As of 2024, it ranks No. 10 with 10,596 births.
Prince William, now Prince of Wales, sustains the name’s aristocratic associations in the contemporary era. The nickname ecosystem - Will, Bill, Billy, Willy, Liam - makes it unusually versatile across formality levels and life stages.
Cognate forms include Guillaume (French), Wilhelm (German), Guillermo (Spanish), and Willem (Dutch). The short form Liam has reached No. 1 in the U.S. since 2017.
US popularity over time
Numerology and symbolism
Based on Pythagorean numerology — a traditional system linking name letters to numbers. Presented for cultural interest.
Famous people named William
William - similar names
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Ways to spell William
| Variant | Language |
|---|---|
| Wim | Dutch short form |
| Bill | English diminutive |
| Will | English short form |
| Guillaume | French |
| Wilhelm | German |
| Liam | Irish short form |
| Guglielmo | Italian |
| Vilhelm | Scandinavian |
| Guillermo | Spanish |
| Vasyl | Ukrainian cognate |
| Gwilym | Welsh |