William first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name William has been for the last 50 years (from 1974 to 2023) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of William

A Germanic masculine name meaning "strong-willed warrior" or "resolute protector".

Popularity of William by gender

Based on the last 50 years of data, William is more commonly used as a male name, with approximately 100% of people named William being male.

For the most recent data in 2023, there were 10,598 male babies and 6 female babies born with the name William.

Yes—according to the SSA data, 6 baby girls were named William in 2023, despite it being a predominantly male name. We'd love to know why!

Year Male Count Female Count
2023 10,598 6
2022 11,282 7
2021 12,144 21
2020 12,643 14
2019 13,629 12
2018 14,633 12
2017 15,023 18
2016 15,798 20
2015 15,935 15
2014 16,839 23
2013 16,654 14
2012 16,904 19
2011 17,354 28
2010 17,064 23
2009 17,925 15
2008 18,398 28
2007 18,890 26
2006 18,961 18
2005 19,056 28
2004 20,233 111
2003 19,996 32
2002 20,133 34
2001 20,109 24
2000 20,667 38
1999 20,716 26
1998 20,833 36
1997 20,019 26
1996 20,543 41
1995 20,159 46
1994 21,490 45
1993 22,216 42
1992 23,068 60
1991 23,861 56
1990 24,905 61
1989 24,673 94
1988 24,127 163
1987 24,201 169
1986 24,331 165
1985 24,613 183
1984 24,905 158
1983 25,398 187
1982 25,603 178
1981 24,806 171
1980 25,648 216
1979 24,682 191
1978 24,180 186
1977 24,762 187
1976 24,439 200
1975 25,567 163
1974 26,984 169

The history of the first name William

The name William has Germanic origins and can be traced back to the Old Germanic language. It is derived from the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire" and "helm" meaning "helmet" or "protection." Together, these elements form the compound name "Willahelm" or "Willihelm," which translates to "resolute protector" or "strong-willed warrior."

The name gained widespread popularity in the Middle Ages, particularly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, played a significant role in popularizing the name throughout the British Isles. His birth name was Guillaume, the French form of William, but it became anglicized after his conquest.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Old English poem "Beowulf," where the character Wiglaf is described as a faithful warrior and companion to the hero Beowulf. This early reference suggests that the name was in use among the Anglo-Saxons before the Norman Conquest.

The name William has been borne by numerous notable figures throughout history, including several kings and rulers. Among them are William the Conqueror (c. 1028-1087), the first Norman king of England; William Wallace (c. 1270-1305), the Scottish patriot and leader of the Wars of Scottish Independence; William Shakespeare (1564-1616), the renowned English playwright and poet; William the Silent (1533-1584), the main leader of the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule; and William Wilberforce (1759-1833), the English politician and philanthropist who led the movement to abolish the slave trade in the British Empire.

These are just a few examples of the many influential individuals who have carried the name William throughout history. The name has endured for centuries and continues to be a popular choice in various cultures and regions around the world.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name William was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of William, please contact us.

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If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!

"William first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 13, 2024. http://namecensus.com/first-names/william-meaning-and-history/.

"William first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/william-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 13 December, 2024

William first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/william-meaning-and-history/.

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