Willum
Diminutive of William, a masculine name of Germanic origin meaning "resolute protection".
Name Census estimates that about 1 living Americans carry the first name Willum. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Willum today is around 73 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Willum births was 1933 (5 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Willum. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
For a British comparison, Name Census UK has a UK baby-name profile for Willum with official rankings and popularity over time.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Willum is about 73 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Willums were born before 1963.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Willum. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
1
~ 1 in 342,754,338 Americans
Peak year
1933
5 babies that year
Average age
73
years old
1933 SSA rank
#4,142
Tracked since 1933
Popularity
Willum: popularity over time
Babies born per year
Decades
Willum by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Willum during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
| Decade | Male | Female | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 5 | 0 | 5 |
Origin
Meaning and history of Willum
The name Willum has its origins in the Germanic languages, specifically Old English and Old German. It is believed to have derived from the Old English/Old German name "Willahelm," which was composed of the elements "wil" meaning "will" or "desire," and "helm" meaning "protection" or "helmet." The name Willum essentially translates to "resolute protector" or "strong-willed guardian."
In the early Middle Ages, the name Willum was popular among the Anglo-Saxon and Germanic populations, particularly in what is now known as England and Germany. It was often associated with strength, bravery, and a steadfast spirit, traits that were highly valued in those warrior cultures.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Willum can be found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of the Anglo-Saxon people, which mentions a Willum who fought alongside King Alfred the Great against the Vikings in the late 9th century.
Throughout the Middle Ages, the name Willum was borne by several notable figures. One of the most famous was Willum the Conqueror (c. 1028-1087), the Norman ruler who invaded and conquered England in 1066, establishing the House of Normandy and significantly influencing the course of English history.
Another prominent bearer of the name was Willum of Ockham (c. 1287-1347), an English Franciscan friar, philosopher, and theologian, who is remembered for his influential works on logic, physics, and theology, as well as his principle of philosophical parsimony, known as "Occam's Razor."
In the 16th century, Willum Shakespeare (1564-1616), the renowned English playwright and poet, brought the name Willum to new heights of literary fame through his numerous celebrated works, including "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," and "Macbeth."
Willum Wallace (c. 1270-1305), the Scottish knight and military leader, was another notable figure who bore the name. He led the Scottish resistance against the English during the Wars of Scottish Independence and is revered as a national hero in Scotland.
Willum the Silent (1533-1584), the Prince of Orange and the main leader of the Dutch Revolt against Spanish rule, was a significant figure in the history of the Netherlands and is often referred to as the "Father of the Fatherland."
People
Willum + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Willum as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Willum: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Willum?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 1 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Willum going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 342,754,338 US residents.
Is Willum a common name?
We classify Willum as "Very Rare". It ranks above 3.8% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 5 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Willum most popular?
The single biggest year for Willum was 1933, when 5 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Willum is about 73 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Willum in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Willum a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Willum in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Willum still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Willum in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Willum can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many Americans are named Willum?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.