Contribute your knowledge to the name William

Comments and insights on the name William: | Edit

I'm pregnant with my second child, a boy, and he might be a William. I especially like the nickname Will.

Personal experiences with the name William: | Edit

I NAMED MY SECOND BORN SON, WILLIAM. I LOVE THE NAME. IT WAS THE ONLY NAME MY HUSBAND AND I COULD AGREE ON! MY FATHER'S MIDDLE NAME IS WILLIAM, AND MY MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME IS WILLIAMSON. GREAT NAME, I LOVE TO CALL HIM LIAM, AND WILL. VERY SMART, SECURE, INDEPENDANT. A NAME THAT DATES BACK TO THE 5TH CENTERY, STILL GOING STRONG! I HOPE HE'LL BE A BETTER SPELLER THAN ME! ALSO, APPARENTLY I DON'T KNOW HOW TURN OFF CAPSLOCK SO I BET YOU'RE READING THIS AS IF I'M YELLING!!!!

We named our 2nd child William when he was born 14 years ago - and we call him Will. Still love it. Funny thing though, when he was in 1st grade he changed his name to "Billy" because he was tired of being last on the list at school.

Met a woman named William. It was her actual birth name, on her driver's license, and she went by William!

We named our son William, and call him Liam for short. Liam really suits him, it just feels right when you see him - could be the red hair and green eyes, lol... We weren't to fond of Will or Bill, but if he decides to change his nickname, or what he goes by as he grows up, he has plenty of options! looking forward to finding the perfect name for our second child, who we are now expecting :)

Nicknames for William: | Edit

Bill, Billy, Billy-Goat, Will, Willie, Willy, Willy Wanka, Wills, Willis, Liam, Iam, Ill, Illiam

Meanings and history of the name William: | Edit

The name translates into War Helmet, I believe.

Famous real-life people named William: | Edit

HRH Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
William Henry Harrison, 9th president of the USA
William McKinley, 25th President of the USA
William Howard Taft, 27th President of the USA
William "Bill" Clinton, 42nd president of the USA
William Faulkner, iconic American writer
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt, American actor
William "Bill" Gates, American businessman and mogal
William "Bill" Paxton, American actor
William H. Macy, American actor
William Hurt, American actor
William Shatner, American actor
William "Will" Farel, American actor/ comedian
William G. Morgan, American inventor of volleyball
William Frawley, American actor
William "Will" Smith, American rapper and actor
William Shakespeare, Shakespearean Playwrite
Dr. William "Bill" Cosby Jr, American comedian and actor
William Ray "Billy Ray" Cyrus, American actor and country singer

William in song, story & screen: | Edit

"Free Willy" (movie)
"Good Will Hunting" (movie)
Mr. Bill from "Saturday Night Live"
Bill Weasley from "Harry Potter"
Willy Wonka
Will Truman of "Will and Grace"
William Tell, legendary archer, and the "William Tell Overture" from Rossini's opera
"William, it Was Really Nothing" by the Smiths
+ William 'Will' Turner from the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' trilogy
+ Bill Compton, from Charlaine Harris's series 'The Southern Vampire Mysteries'
Billy Costigan, Leonardo DiCaprio's character in The Departed
Billy Elliot, excellent movie
William the Bloody aka Spike from the TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel
Commander William Ryker (Star Trek: Next Generation)
"(Won't You Come Home) Bill Bailey", JFK's favorite popular song
"Where Have you Gone, Billy Boy, Billy Boy"
Detective William Murdoch, forward thinking central character in the Murdoch Mystery novels/TV series 'Murdoch Mysteries'
William "Bill" Weasley the eldest Weasley child.