The Baby Name Wizard

Reader Contributions

Contribute to, or edit, this collection of community wisdom on 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, BUBBA, WILL.
VERY SMART, SECURE, INDEPENDANT. A NAME THAT DATES BACK TO THE 5TH CENTERY, STILL GOING STRONG!

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!

Nicknames for William: | Edit

Bill, Billy, Will, Willie, Willy, Liam, Wills, Bo, Beau, Yum as in Willyum.

Meanings and history of the name William: | Edit

The name translates into War Helmet, I believe.

Famous real-life people named William: | Edit

Billie Slater, NRL player, HOT!!!
William F. Buckley, conservative American writer and magazine founder
William Jefferson Clinton, 42nd U.S. President
William Ewert Gladstone, British Prime Minister (1868-74, 1880-86, 1892-1894)
William Henry Harrison, 9th U.S. President
Willie Mays, baseball player
William McKinley, 25th U.S. President
William Morris, British Arts and Crafts designer, author, and socialist
Bill Murray, American actor
William Pitt the Elder, British Prime Minister (1766-68)
William Pitt the Younger, British Prime Minister (1783-1801)
William Shakespeare, playwright
William Howard Taft, 27th U.S. President
William Carlos Williams, American modernist poet
Prince William, second in line to the British throne.
Four British kings, including William I, "The Conqueror"
Will Arnett, Actor
William Shatner, actor, (Star Trek's Captain Kirk,and Denny Crane in Boston Legal)
William Least Heat Moon, Author,Nature Activist
William Baldwin, actor
Will Carling, Former English Rugby captain

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"