Wilhelm
A male given name from German, equivalent to English William.
Every Wilhelm since 1880 — 1,828 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wilhelm
Wilhelm is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #4,133 in 2025 with 26 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 1,828 American babies have been named Wilhelm. Its peak came in 2014, when 38 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 2010s.
The chart above shows the full history: the popularity view (births per 1,000 babies) is the honest comparison across generations, since total US births have changed enormously since 1880. Switch to the rank view to see where Wilhelm stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wilhelm year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 26 | #4,133 |
| 2024 | 25 | #4,316 |
| 2023 | 18 | #5,456 |
| 2022 | 33 | #3,530 |
| 2021 | 25 | #4,234 |
| 2020 | 26 | #4,013 |
| 2019 | 12 | #7,146 |
| 2018 | 29 | #3,788 |
| 2017 | 24 | #4,323 |
| 2016 | 24 | #4,318 |
| 2015 | 21 | #4,701 |
| 2014 | 38 | #3,035 |
| 2013 | 19 | #4,968 |
| 2012 | 24 | #4,241 |
| 2011 | 16 | #5,664 |
| 2010 | 26 | #3,989 |
| 2009 | 20 | #4,912 |
| 2008 | 20 | #4,893 |
| 2007 | 22 | #4,483 |
| 2006 | 17 | #5,294 |
| 2005 | 24 | #3,938 |
| 2004 | 21 | #4,259 |
| 2003 | 25 | #3,622 |
| 2002 | 22 | #3,903 |
| 2001 | 21 | #3,967 |
| 2000 | 13 | #5,569 |
| 1995 | 10 | #5,911 |
| 1990 | 13 | #4,397 |
| 1985 | 15 | #3,214 |
| 1980 | 11 | #3,834 |
| 1975 | 10 | #3,656 |
| 1970 | 26 | #1,741 |
| 1965 | 16 | #2,081 |
| 1960 | 19 | #1,909 |
| 1955 | 12 | #2,430 |
| 1950 | 9 | #2,765 |
| 1945 | 7 | #2,989 |
| 1940 | 15 | #1,891 |
| 1935 | 8 | #2,940 |
| 1930 | 14 | #2,175 |
| 1925 | 13 | #2,429 |
| 1920 | 16 | #2,127 |
| 1915 | 21 | #1,551 |
| 1910 | 8 | #1,309 |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | 5 | #1,503 |
| 1895 | 5 | #1,239 |
| 1890 | 5 | #1,158 |
| 1885 | 7 | #833 |
| 1880 | 6 | #905 |
Famous people named Wilhelm
- Wilhelm Röntgen Physicist · 1845–1923
- Wilhelm II, German Emperor Politician · 1859–1941
- Wilhelm Keitel Military personnel · 1882–1946
- Wilhelm Wundt Psychologist · 1832–1920
- Wilhelm von Humboldt Philosopher · 1767–1835
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
What does the name Wilhelm mean?
A male given name from German, equivalent to English William.
How popular is the name Wilhelm in 2025?
Wilhelm ranked #4,133 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 26 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wilhelm?
1,828 babies have been named Wilhelm in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wilhelm most popular?
Wilhelm peaked in 2014, when 38 newborns received the name.
Is Wilhelm a boy or girl name?
Wilhelm is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wilhelm rising or falling?
Wilhelm has been roughly stable over the past decade.
Who are famous people named Wilhelm?
Well-known people named Wilhelm include Wilhelm Röntgen (physicist), Wilhelm II, German Emperor (politician), Wilhelm Keitel (military personnel).