Wiliam
Every Wiliam since 1881 — 1,256 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of Wiliam
Wiliam is rare for boys in the United States, ranked #6,783 in 2025 with 13 babies given the name. It is currently holding steady compared with a decade ago.
Since 1881, 1,256 American babies have been named Wiliam. Its peak came in 1982, when 28 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1980s.
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 Wiliam stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
Wiliam year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | #6,783 |
| 2024 | 13 | #6,809 |
| 2023 | 5 | #14,083 |
| 2022 | 9 | #8,945 |
| 2021 | 8 | #9,650 |
| 2020 | 6 | #11,939 |
| 2019 | 13 | #6,748 |
| 2018 | 14 | #6,323 |
| 2017 | 11 | #7,515 |
| 2016 | 11 | #7,572 |
| 2015 | 13 | #6,658 |
| 2014 | 12 | #7,028 |
| 2013 | 10 | #8,075 |
| 2012 | 15 | #5,980 |
| 2011 | 17 | #5,419 |
| 2010 | 9 | #8,753 |
| 2009 | 14 | #6,413 |
| 2008 | 20 | #4,894 |
| 2007 | 13 | #6,597 |
| 2006 | 10 | #7,970 |
| 2005 | 8 | #9,067 |
| 2004 | 8 | #8,888 |
| 2003 | 10 | #7,221 |
| 2002 | 10 | #7,022 |
| 2001 | 14 | #5,380 |
| 2000 | 14 | #5,290 |
| 1995 | 15 | #4,268 |
| 1990 | 17 | #3,602 |
| 1985 | 25 | #2,225 |
| 1980 | 14 | #3,254 |
| 1975 | 19 | #2,359 |
| 1970 | 17 | #2,291 |
| 1965 | 8 | #3,240 |
| 1960 | 13 | #2,420 |
| 1955 | 10 | #2,758 |
| 1950 | 7 | #3,317 |
| 1945 | 5 | #3,770 |
| 1940 | 5 | #3,924 |
| 1935 | — | — |
| 1930 | 9 | #3,014 |
| 1925 | 8 | #3,399 |
| 1920 | 10 | #2,959 |
| 1915 | 6 | #3,820 |
| 1910 | — | — |
| 1905 | — | — |
| 1900 | — | — |
| 1895 | — | — |
| 1890 | — | — |
| 1885 | — | — |
| 1880 | — | — |
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name Wiliam in 2025?
Wiliam ranked #6,783 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 13 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named Wiliam?
1,256 babies have been named Wiliam in the United States since 1881, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name Wiliam most popular?
Wiliam peaked in 1982, when 28 newborns received the name.
Is Wiliam a boy or girl name?
Wiliam is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name Wiliam rising or falling?
Wiliam has been roughly stable over the past decade.