William

Gender:boy

Meaning:will, desire; helmet, protection

Origin:German

Pronunciation:will yum

Variations:Wiliam, Willyam

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About William

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William is great for a baby boy and for those parents looking for a strong and royal name for their own little prince.

Detailed Meaning

Likely the most successful of all Old French names of Germanic origin that were introduced to England by the Normans. The fact that it was borne by the Conqueror himself does not seem to have inhibited its favour with the ‘conquered’ population; in the first century after the Conquest it was the commonest male name of all, and not only among the Normans. Overtaken by John in the later Middle Ages, William has continued to keep pace in second place until the 20th century.

Famous People With This Name

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge, is the oldest son of Prince Charles and Princess Diana and grandson of Queen Victoria. William Shakespeare was an English poet and writer, who many consider to be the greatest play writer of all time. William Wallace was a Scottish knight who patriotically led Scotland to freedom from England.

Possible Nicknames

Some possible nicknames for William are Bill, Liam and Will.

Related Names

Alternative spellings for William include Wiliam and Willyam.

Stories Featuring This Name

William Crimsworth is the main character from Charlotte Brontë’s first novel, “The Professor.” William Brown is the main character from the book series “Just William” by English author Richmal Crompton. William was the son of Mulder and Scully on the sci-fi television series, “The X-Files.”

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Top 10 names also beginning with 'W':

Name Gender Rank Meaning
Name Gender Rank Meaning
William Boy 14 will, desire; helmet, protection Facts
Willow Girl 20 willow tree Facts
Wilfred Boy 235 desires peace Facts
Wyatt Boy 321 brave Facts
Woody Boy 409 row of houses by a wood Facts
Wiktoria Girl 411 victory Facts
Walter Boy 429 army ruler Facts
Will Boy 442 will, desire; helmet, protection Facts
Wiktor Boy 513 conqueror Facts
Warren Boy 558 protector Facts

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