Did you know that William has been in the top 20 names list for over 100 years? If this name is top of mind for your little one, you might be curious about some nicknames for William, as well as middle names, variations, and other fun facts.
And while the nickname Liam took its own right as the top name for years, the original William has never lost its popularity. Being in the top 5 list until 1950 and coming back in the last decade as well.
So let’s dive into all things William.
What Does the Name William Mean
The name William comes from the Germanic Wilhelm which translates to “will helmet.” More specifically, the name William means desire and protection.
Nicknames for William
While this name can certainly hold its own, it never hurts to have a few other options. The most common nicknames for William are:
- Bill
- Billy
- Liam
- Will
- Willie
Other Variations and Nicknames for William
While the typical nicknames for William are tried and true, here are a few more unexpected variations from around the world. (We had no idea that Elmo and Wim were variations of William!)
| German | Wilhelm, Liam, Willi, Willy |
| Danish | Vilhelm, Villum |
| Dutch | Wilhelmus, Willem, Wim, Jelle, Liam, Pim, Wil, Willy |
| French | Guillaume, Liam, Lyam |
| Italian | Guglielmo, Elmo |
| Maori | Wiremu |
| Spanish | Guillermo |
| Welsh | Gwilim, Gwyllym, Gwil |
Names Like William
You may be interested in other names like William, that are formal yet wholesome, handsome yet cute. (And the obvious connotations to royalty cannot be overlooked!)
- Albert
- Alexander
- Andrew
- Antoine
- Arthur
- Barron
- Cain
- Caleb
- Calvin
- Charles
- Christian
- Christopher
- Donald
- Edward
- George
- Gilbert
- Gregory
- Henry
- Jonathan
- Leonard
- Matthew
- Michael
- Nathaniel
- Nicholas
- Philip
- Robert
- Rupert
- Samuel
- Stefan
- Terrence
- Thomas
- Wilbur
Middle Names for William
When choosing middle names for William, bear in mind that he might go with a nickname. So try each middle name with Billy, Liam or Will. Each of the middle name options below should fit the bill.
Cute and Unexpected Middle Names for William
- William Ace
- William Atticus
- William Brandon
- William Carl
- William Craig
- William Dylan
- William Jack
- William Jackson
- William Jay
- William Jonah
- William Keith
- William Leon
- William Mark
- Wlliam Max
- William Nikola
- William Neil
- William Noah
- William Xavier
- William Zain
Formal and Handsome Middle Names for William
- William Alexander
- William Andrew
- Wiliam Arthur
- William Barron
- William Charles
- William Christian
- William Daniel
- William David
- William Edward
- William Felix
- William Henry
- William Michael
- William Philip
- William Robert
- William Thomas
- William Victor
- William Vincent
- William Xavier
Famous People Named William
While the first Williams that come to mind may be Shakespeare and the Prince of Wales, you may also be surprised that one of your favorite actors – may also be a William! With so many nicknames and variations, there’s definitely no shortage of famous people with this classic name.
Famous Actors Named William
- Bob Barker
- Johnny Carson
- Adam West
- William Shatner
- Tom Selleck
- Billy Crystal
- Bill Murray
- Liam Neeson
- Will Patton
- William Baldwin
- Brad Pitt
- Will Ferrell
- Will Sasso
- James Van Der Beek
- Bill Hader
- Will Smith
Famous Musicians Named William
- Billy Joel
- Billy Idol
- Axl Rose
- Fred Durst
- Will.I.Am
- Will Smith
- William Jonathan (Flavor Flav)
Famous Business Owners Named William
- Bill Gates
- Barron Hilton
- Bill Hewlett
- Will Keith Kellog
British Kings Named William
- King William I, the Conqueror (1066-1087)
- King William II, Rufus (1087-1100)
- King William III, of Orange (1689-1702)
- King William IV (1830-1837)
Other Royalty Named William
- William, Prince of Wales
- King William of Holland (1247-1256)
- Willem I of the Netherlands (1815-1840)
- Willem II of the Netherlands (1840-1849)
- Willem III of the Netherlands (1849-1890)
- Wilhelm I – Prussia (1861-1888)
- Wilhelm II – Prussia (1888-1918)
- William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg (1905-1912)
- Nikolai of Denmark (1999-2023)
American Presidents Named William
- William Henry Harrison (1841)
- William McKinley (1897-1901)
- William Howard Taft (1909 – 1913)
- Bill Clinton (1993-2001)
Feminine Variations for William
If you want to share this famous name with your little girl, there’s no shortage of pretty feminine variations for William from around the world.
| English | Billie, Mina, Minnie, Velma, Wilhelmina, Willa, Wilma |
| Dutch | Elma, Helma, Mien, Mina, Wil, Wilhelmina, Willemina, Willy, Wilma |
| German | Elma, Helma, Helmine, Minna, Vilma, Wilma, Wilhelmina, Wilhelmine |
| Spanish | Guillermina, Vilma |
| Finnish and Swedish | Helmi, Iina, Miina, Mimmi, Minna, Vilhelmina, Vilma |
Final Word on William
We hope that this list of middle names and nicknames for William left you inspired for your own little prince.
Read more:
82 Strong Boy Names Meaning Power and Strength
Robert: Nicknames, Middle Names, And Variations. From Classic to Unexpected
Nicknames for Henry. 42 Charming Variations, Meanings, and Middle Names
