Wiliam
Wiliam was the 6783rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 13 babies. Its best year was 1881, when it ranked 992nd; the most babies were born in 1982 (28). Over the last ten years it has moved down 125 places. More babies were named Wiliam in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Meaning (as William) will + helmet (Germanic) · Germanic
- Rank in 2025
- #6,783 boys, up 5,156 places since 2020
- Babies in 2025
- 13boys
- Girls and boys
- Almost always a boy’s name2021–2025
- Peak year
- 198228 babies
- Total since 1880
- 1,256babies recorded
What does the name Wiliam mean?
Wiliam is a spelling of William, pronounced the same way, so it shares William's meaning and origin.
William comes from Germanic elements meaning 'will' or 'desire' and 'helmet'. It has been popular in England since the Norman Conquest, and two 11th-century kings of England bore it. The Irish short form Liam is now even more popular in the US.
willo (Old High German, “will”)helm (Old High German / Old Saxon, “helmet”)
How sure is this? Probable.
See also: Germanic names, names that mean protector.
Wiliam popularity since 1880
| Year | Rank (boys) | Babies (boys) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | #6,783 | 13 |
| 2020 | #11,939 | 6 |
| 2010 | #8,753 | 9 |
| 2000 | #5,290 | 14 |
| 1990 | #3,602 | 17 |
| 1980 | #3,254 | 14 |
| 1970 | #2,291 | 17 |
| 1960 | #2,420 | 13 |
| 1950 | #3,317 | 7 |
| 1940 | #3,924 | 5 |
| 1930 | #3,014 | 9 |
| 1920 | #2,959 | 10 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
How popular is Wiliam, counting every spelling?
Wiliam is a spelling of William, a name family that ranked #11 for boys in 2025 once every spelling is counted together, compared with #6,783 for Wiliam on its own. Together these spellings went to 10,565 boys in 2025.
| Spelling | Babies 2025 | Official rank | Babies 2021–2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| William | 10,545 | #9 | 55,391 |
| Wiliam | 13 | #6,783 | 48 |
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 Wiliam?
13 of the 3,606,400 babies born in the US in 2025 were named Wiliam (0.00 per 1,000 births). For a boy named Wiliam 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 646 (of 430 pupils) would have a child named Wiliam.
Shares of all registered births (NCHS); classes assumed to be children born the same year. How we estimate this.
How old are people named Wiliam?
About 900 people born in the US named Wiliam are alive today, with a median age of 40; half are between 20 and 54. That makes Wiliam mostly worn by adults in their thirties to fifties.
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.
Names with a similar history
These names rose and fell in step with Wiliam: their share of US boys followed the most similar curve since 1880. If you like Wiliam, they share its era and feel.
Questions about the name Wiliam
What does Wiliam mean?
Wiliam is a spelling of William, which means “will + helmet (Germanic)” (Germanic origin). Certainty: probable.
How popular is the name Wiliam?
Wiliam was the 6783rd most popular name for boys in 2025, given to 13 babies. Its best year was 1881, when it ranked 992nd; the most babies were born in 1982 (28). Over the last ten years it has moved down 125 places. More babies were named Wiliam in the 1980s than in any other decade.
Is Wiliam a boy or girl name?
In 2021–2025, almost always a boy’s name given the name Wiliam in the US.