William | Name Meaning & Origin

Surnames Names, Australian Names, Canadian Names, New Zealand Names, British Names, Germanic Names, Norman Names, American Names, English Names, Pirate Names, Middle Names, Popular Names, Royal Names, President Names

English speaking countries

William comes from the Germanic elements 'wil' (will, desire) and 'helm' (helmet, protection). It was the 10th most popular name for boys in the US in 2006, and the 7th most popular in the UK.

There have been many rulers named William, including four British kings, various rulers of the Netherlands and two emperors of Germany (known more commonly by the German cognate Wilhelm). There have also been four US presidents named William. Prince William is the eldest son of Prince Charles of Wales, the heir to the British throne.

Famous bearers include the English playwright and poet William Shakespeare, author of 'Romeo and Juliet', 'Macbeth' and 'Hamlet', among many others. William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and William Kidd a 17th century pirate.