WILLIAM  

Gender: M
Origin: English from German
Meaning: "resolute protection"

Popularity in 2008: #8

Now solidly back in the Top 10, partially due to Britain's prince, this has been among the most enduring of classics, chosen in the last year counted by over eighteen thousand parents as being ideally conservative yet contemporary. Yesterday's Billys have given way to today's Wills -- or Williams, with no diminutive.

Variations:
Wilkie, Wilkes, Willis, Willi, Will, Wiley, Bill, Williamson, Billy, Wim, Wilson, Bille, Billie, Wilmar, Wilkinson, Pim, Willy, Wills, Willie

People who like William also like:

Amelia, Audrey, Aurora, Claire, Eliza, Esmé, Imogen, Lucy, Charles, Edward, Owen, Julian, Liam, Victor, Sebastian

William is being discussed in our message boards:

• Baby Boy WDYT of the possible names?
• Mayflower Names!
• Best of British - some Telegraph birth announcements
• new game buuild a family together
• Wisconsin Birth Announcements

Read Nameberry blog posts about William:

• SCOTTISH BABY NAMES: What's 'in' in Inverness?
• THE CUTEST CELEBRITY BABY NAMES
• NEW NAMES IN THE CELEBRISPHERE
• THE BABY WITH NO NAME
• TOP ENGLISH BOYS' NAMES