Billie
Billie was the 691st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 409 babies. Its best year was 1929, when it ranked 79th; the most babies were born in 1930 (3,241). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,325 places. More babies were named Billie in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Meaning short form of William · English, Germanic
Say it BIL-ee /ˈbɪli/
- Rank in 2025
- #691 girls, up 318 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 409girls
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a girl’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 19303,241 babies
- Total since 1880
- 135,300babies recorded
What does the name Billie mean?
Billie began as a pet form of Bill, itself a rhyming nickname for William, so it carries William's meaning: the Germanic elements wil 'will, desire' and helm 'helmet, protection'. It was used for boys first and became a girls' name in the early 20th century, often as a short form of names such as Wilhelmina; Wiktionary also notes it as a nickname for Belinda. Singers Billie Holiday and Billie Eilish are well-known bearers.
Bill (English, “pet form of William”)wil + helm (Old High German, “will, desire + helmet, protection”)
How sure is this? Well established.
Related names: Billy, Bill, Willa, Wilhelmina.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean protector.
Sources for this meaning
- Wiktionary, entry 'Billie', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Wiktionary, entry 'William', Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0; facts restated, no text reused)
- Dictionary of Medieval Names from European Sources, ed. S. L. Uckelman, Edition 2023 no. 1, s.v. 'William', DMNES (Durham University)
Billie popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (girls) | Rank (boys) | Babies (girls) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #691 | #6,502 | 409 | 13 |
| 2020 | #1,009 | #8,851 | 251 | 8 |
| 2010 | #2,516 | #6,071 | 73 | 14 |
| 2000 | #1,305 | #3,651 | 146 | 22 |
| 1990 | #836 | #1,361 | 235 | 67 |
| 1980 | #306 | #804 | 802 | 119 |
| 1970 | #271 | #664 | 1,104 | 152 |
| 1960 | #336 | #570 | 783 | 187 |
| 1950 | #204 | #423 | 1,315 | 251 |
| 1940 | #149 | #251 | 1,485 | 480 |
| 1930 | #79 | #123 | 3,241 | 1,474 |
| 1920 | #212 | #240 | 902 | 523 |
| 1910 | #302 | #430 | 165 | 40 |
| 1900 | #381 | #469 | 76 | 24 |
| 1890 | #949 | #749 | 9 | 8 |
| 1880 | — | #606 | — | 10 |
How popular is Billie, counting every spelling?
Billie is the most common spelling of a name family that ranked #700 for girls in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #691 for Billie on its own. Together these spellings went to 409 girls in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Billie | 409 | #691 | 1,689 |
Spellings count together when they sound the same in American English and are used for the same sex; nicknames and forms that sound different (such as Theo and Theodore) are kept apart. How we group spellings.
How many kids will share the name Billie?
409 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Billie (0.11 per 1,000 births). For a girl named Billie born in 2025, the chance that another child with the same name is in a class of 20 children the same age is under 1 in 50. If every grade liked the name as much as the 2025 babies do, only about one elementary school in 21 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Billie.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Billie?
About 49,700 people born in the US named Billie are alive today, with a median age of 64; half are between 49 and 78. That makes Billie a name most people associate with older generations.
Babies given the name each year (SSA) times the share of that birth year still alive (SSA life tables). Counts people born in the US only. Method.
Billie by state
How common Billie was among girls born in each state in 2021–2025. It is notably more common than nationally in Utah (2.4×), Colorado (2.0×), Tennessee (1.8×), Oregon (1.8×), Missouri (1.6×). In 17 states fewer than five girls a year got the name, too few for SSA to publish, so those states show as zero.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Billie: their share of US girls followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Billie, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Billie
What does Billie mean?
Billie means “short form of William” (English, Germanic origin). Certainty: well established.
How popular is the name Billie?
Billie was the 691st most popular name for girls in 2025, given to 409 babies. Its best year was 1929, when it ranked 79th; the most babies were born in 1930 (3,241). Over the last ten years it has moved up 1,325 places. More babies were named Billie in the 1930s than in any other decade.
Is Billie a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a girl’s name given the name Billie in the US.
Where is Billie most popular?
In 2021–2025, Billie was most common in Utah (0.51 per 1,000 girls), followed by Idaho and Colorado.