William
5 countries#9 in United States, 2025Popularity across 5 countries
Each line is scaled to its own peak, so you can compare when William was in fashion in each country, whatever the population size.
Country by country
🇺🇸 United States
4,215,725 births recorded 1880–2025 · currently #9 · peaked in 1947 with 67,156 births
Most common in: New York, Pennsylvania, California, Ohio, Illinois
Source: Social Security Administration, official birth-registration data
🇬🇧 United Kingdom
132,076 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #57 · peaked in 1999 with 5,618 births (England & Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland combined)
Source: ONS, National Records of Scotland & NISRA (combined), official birth-registration data
🏴🏴 England & Wales
113,118 births recorded 1996–2021 · currently #21 · peaked in 1999 with 5,287 births
Source: Office for National Statistics, official birth-registration data
🇫🇷 France
78,403 births recorded 1900–2022 · currently #105 · peaked in 1999 with 1,602 births
Most common in: Paris, Nord, Seine-Maritime, Yvelines, Hauts-de-Seine
Source: INSEE, official birth-registration data
🏴 Scotland
16,805 births recorded 1974–2025 · currently #52 · peaked in 1974 with 777 births
Source: National Records of Scotland, official birth-registration data
Northern Ireland
2,153 births recorded 1997–2025 · currently #59 · peaked in 1997 with 131 births
Source: NISRA, official birth-registration data
United States rank history
William’s rank among boys’ names, most recent 20 years on record.
| Year | Rank | vs. prior yr |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | #10 | — |
| 2007 | #8 | ↑2 |
| 2008 | #8 | — |
| 2009 | #5 | ↑3 |
| 2010 | #5 | — |
| 2011 | #3 | ↑2 |
| 2012 | #5 | ↓2 |
| 2013 | #5 | — |
| 2014 | #5 | — |
| 2015 | #5 | — |
| 2016 | #3 | ↑2 |
| 2017 | #3 | — |
| 2018 | #3 | — |
| 2019 | #4 | ↓1 |
| 2020 | #5 | ↓1 |
| 2021 | #6 | ↓1 |
| 2022 | #6 | — |
| 2023 | #10 | ↓4 |
| 2024 | #10 | — |
| 2025 | #9 | ↑1 |
Frequently asked questions about William
Is William a popular name?
Yes — William currently ranks #9 among boys’ names in United States as of 2025, based on official birth records.
Is William more common for boys or girls?
William is recorded predominantly as a boys’ name in official United States birth data.
When was William most popular?
William peaked in 1947 in United States, with 67,156 recorded births that year.
Is William rising or falling in popularity?
In United States, William’s popularity is falling — its rank has slipped from #2 in 1880 to #9 in 2025.
How many babies have been named William?
At least 4,426,204 babies have been recorded with the name William across official birth statistics in 5 countries.
Is William popular in more than one country?
Yes — William appears in official birth records in 5 countries: United States, England & Wales, France, Scotland, Northern Ireland.
What names are similar in popularity to William?
Based on real 2025 ranking data in United States, names ranked closest to William include Elijah, Mateo, Lucas, Benjamin.
Similar names right now
Ranked directly next to William in United States, 2025 — a real popularity match, not a subjective list.