How to say it
WIL · yum
ˈwɪl.jəm
Masculine
William
Resolute protector
What it means
From the Germanic Willahelm, made from wil (will, determination) and helm (helmet, protection). A name about steady defense.
William the Conqueror brought the name to England with the Norman conquest of 1066, and it became one of the most-given English boys' names for the next thousand years. Six English kings William, William Shakespeare, William Faulkner, William Wordsworth. The Spanish Guillermo, Italian Guglielmo, French Guillaume, German Wilhelm, and Russian Vilyam are all the same Germanic root in different mouths. The Irish Liam, also curated separately in this library, is itself a short form of Uilliam (Irish William). Currently US top ten for boys. Daily-life short forms: Will, Bill, Billy, Liam.
How to spell William
The standard spelling is William. Common variants include Wilhelm, Guillermo, Guillaume, Guglielmo, Uilliam, Liam, but William is the most widely used form.
Popularity over time
peaked at #2 in 1880, currently #9 in 2025.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, names given to at least 5 babies in a year, 1880–2025. Reviewed July 2026. See where the names are moving
Heads-up notes
- Nickname
Will, Bill, Billy, and Liam all started as shorts for William. Each one reads very differently as an adult. Prince William goes by Will; Bill Clinton went by Bill.
Who's worn it
Historical figures, characters, and public faces who share the name. The cultural surface, for whatever weight you want to give it.
- William Shakespeare English playwright and poet, late 16th to early 17th century
- Prince William Prince of Wales, heir to the British throne
- William the Conqueror Norman king who took England in 1066
- Bill Gates Microsoft co-founder (William is his given name)
Spelling variants
- Wilhelm
- Guillermo
- Guillaume
- Guglielmo
- Uilliam
- Liam
Names with the same feeling
See William from another angle
By meaning
By style
Common questions
- What does the name William mean?
- From the Germanic Willahelm, made from wil (will, determination) and helm (helmet, protection). A name about steady defense.
- What does William mean in Germanic?
- In Germanic, William means "Resolute protector." William the Conqueror brought the name to England with the Norman conquest of 1066, and it became one of the most-given English boys' names for the next thousand years. Six English kings William, William Shakespeare, William Faulkner, William Wordsworth. The Spanish Guillermo, Italian Guglielmo, French Guillaume, German Wilhelm, and Russian Vilyam are all the same Germanic root in different mouths. The Irish Liam, also curated separately in this library, is itself a short form of Uilliam (Irish William). Currently US top ten for boys. Daily-life short forms: Will, Bill, Billy, Liam.
- Is William short for Uilliam?
- Yes. William is a short form of Uilliam, and it carries the same meaning, "Resolute protector." These days many parents use William as a given name in its own right, not only as a nickname.
- How do you pronounce William?
- William is pronounced ˈwɪl.jəm. Say it as WIL-yum, with the stress on the "wil" syllable.
- How do you spell William?
- The standard spelling is William. Common spelling variants include Wilhelm, Guillermo, Guillaume, Guglielmo, Uilliam, Liam.
- Is William a boy or girl name?
- William is traditionally a masculine name.
- How popular is the name William?
- William ranked #9 in the U.S. in 2025, according to Social Security Administration data.