William
Every William since 1880 — 4,215,725 of them. Popularity, births, and rankings for each year, from official Social Security records.
The story of William
William is a top-10 name for boys in the United States, ranked #9 in 2025 with 10,545 babies given the name. It is currently declining compared with a decade ago.
Since 1880, 4,215,725 American babies have been named William. Its peak came in 1947, when 67,156 newborns received the name — the signature sound of the 1940s.
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 William stood among all boys' names in any year, or use the compare tool to plot it against other names.
William year by year
Every year since 2001, and five-year steps back to 1880. Rank is within each sex.
| Year | Girls | Girls rank | Boys | Boys rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | #13,115 | 10,545 | #9 |
| 2024 | 9 | #11,067 | 10,647 | #10 |
| 2023 | 6 | #15,081 | 10,673 | #10 |
| 2022 | 7 | #13,495 | 11,356 | #6 |
| 2021 | 21 | #5,940 | 12,170 | #6 |
| 2020 | 14 | #7,946 | 12,676 | #5 |
| 2019 | 12 | #9,085 | 13,658 | #4 |
| 2018 | 12 | #9,127 | 14,646 | #3 |
| 2017 | 18 | #6,792 | 15,046 | #3 |
| 2016 | 20 | #6,389 | 15,810 | #3 |
| 2015 | 15 | #7,988 | 15,950 | #5 |
| 2014 | 23 | #5,786 | 16,851 | #5 |
| 2013 | 14 | #8,554 | 16,669 | #5 |
| 2012 | 19 | #6,858 | 16,917 | #5 |
| 2011 | 28 | #5,056 | 17,362 | #3 |
| 2010 | 23 | #5,969 | 17,072 | #5 |
| 2009 | 15 | #8,439 | 17,937 | #5 |
| 2008 | 28 | #5,271 | 18,403 | #8 |
| 2007 | 26 | #5,518 | 18,898 | #8 |
| 2006 | 18 | #7,129 | 18,965 | #10 |
| 2005 | 28 | #4,824 | 19,060 | #11 |
| 2004 | 111 | #1,744 | 20,237 | #8 |
| 2003 | 32 | #4,212 | 20,000 | #11 |
| 2002 | 34 | #3,882 | 20,136 | #11 |
| 2001 | 24 | #5,002 | 20,110 | #10 |
| 2000 | 38 | #3,522 | 20,669 | #11 |
| 1995 | 46 | #2,683 | 20,160 | #20 |
| 1990 | 61 | #2,152 | 24,906 | #16 |
| 1985 | 183 | #879 | 24,606 | #16 |
| 1980 | 216 | #766 | 25,639 | #14 |
| 1975 | 163 | #830 | 25,561 | #10 |
| 1970 | 205 | #728 | 38,887 | #7 |
| 1965 | 157 | #790 | 40,111 | #6 |
| 1960 | 165 | #809 | 49,361 | #7 |
| 1955 | 116 | #915 | 59,990 | #6 |
| 1950 | 125 | #776 | 60,680 | #6 |
| 1945 | 142 | #609 | 50,218 | #4 |
| 1940 | 152 | #564 | 44,779 | #4 |
| 1935 | 163 | #498 | 40,204 | #4 |
| 1930 | 289 | #399 | 47,271 | #4 |
| 1925 | 289 | #404 | 53,310 | #3 |
| 1920 | 204 | #480 | 50,146 | #2 |
| 1915 | 129 | #569 | 38,563 | #2 |
| 1910 | 37 | #704 | 8,844 | #3 |
| 1905 | 28 | #682 | 6,495 | #2 |
| 1900 | 44 | #514 | 8,579 | #2 |
| 1895 | 40 | #464 | 7,277 | #2 |
| 1890 | 34 | #445 | 7,494 | #2 |
| 1885 | 33 | #353 | 8,044 | #2 |
| 1880 | 30 | #287 | 9,532 | #2 |
Famous people named William
- William Shakespeare Writer · 1564–1616
- William Wallace Military personnel · 1270–1305
- William I, German Emperor Politician · 1797–1888
- William the Silent Politician · 1533–1584
- William of Ockham Philosopher · 1285–1347
Ranked by global fame across Wikipedia editions (Pantheon project, MIT).
Frequently asked questions
How popular is the name William in 2025?
William ranked #9 among boys' names in the United States in 2025, with 10,545 babies given the name, according to Social Security Administration data.
How many people are named William?
4,215,725 babies have been named William in the United States since 1880, based on Social Security card applications.
When was the name William most popular?
William peaked in 1947, when 67,156 newborns received the name.
Is William a boy or girl name?
William is overwhelmingly a boy's name — 100% of babies with the name.
Is the name William rising or falling?
William is declining — less popular now than a decade ago.
Who are famous people named William?
Well-known people named William include William Shakespeare (writer), William Wallace (military personnel), William I, German Emperor (politician).