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© 2026 Namesake · namesake.baby

Data: Social Security Administration, US births 1880–2024

Williams — Meaning, Origin & Popularity | Namesake
All names
William|Williamson
GermanicBoy↓ Fading

Williams

WIL-yumz · 2 syllables

Share Williams:
Compare with another name
Boy
#2542
↓ Fading
#2542
in the US · 2024
Popularity score: 21
Peak rank
#2413 in 2023
5yr change
-129 ranks
Birth frequency
1.5 per 100,000 births
Sex split
100% boy · 0% girl

Popularity Over Time

↑ Higher on this chart = more popular · ↓ Lower = less popular

Average0255075100Popularity score (0–100)20202024

Rank #2542 · Rising since 2020

How Popular Is This Name?

Bars show the range of popularity for each group. The dot shows where this name sits. Further right = more popular.

All US boy names
Top 200 boy names
Germanic boy names
Williams

Popularity score: 21  ·  SSA Rank: #2542

Rare  ·  Distinctive  ·  Familiar  ·  Common  ·  Very Common

Popularity score: 0 = least popular, 100 = most popular. Based on SSA rank.

Namesake Score
30
Higher than 30% of names
Combines uniqueness, trend, meaning, feasibility, and search interest.
Trend
↓ Fading
-129 ranks
Based on SSA rank velocity
Feasibility
Limited
.com taken · — · clear
Low friction, available
Uniqueness
70
5 per 10,000 births
Won't be common in class

Williams scores lower overall — the popularity trend is fading.

Meaning Depth37% of score
60
Name Trend28% of score
32
Uniqueness20% of score
70
Feasibility15% of score
50

Scores are percentile-ranked across 43,000+ names.

Name DNA
Germanic OriginSurnameEnglishClassicStrongPatronymic2-syllableTraditionalMaleRare Rank
Character
resolute protector
People with this name

Qualities shared by notable Williamss

ancestralenduringprotectiveestablishedtraditional
STRONG
High confidence

Williams is a Germanic boy name with cooling SSA momentum. It ranked #2542 in the US in 2024.

Trend:↓ Fading · -129 ranks
Feasibility:.com taken · — · clear
Popularity:#2542 · very rare
Williams at a Glance
Meaning:Son of William. From the Germanic elements 'wil' (desire, will) and 'helm' (helmet, protection), meaning 'resolute protector'
Language root:Germanic · Old English
Peak rank:#2413 in 2023
5yr change:-129 ranks
Sex usage:100% boy · 0% girl
Notable bearers
Williams (surname)
Common English surname dating to medieval times
Similar Sound
WillamsWilliamsonWilkinsWilmotWilson
Similar Style
HarrisonJacksonPrestonSpencer◈Hudson◈
Works well with
JacksonHarrisonEleanorCharlotteGeorgeJames
You Might Also Like
Harrison
English · #121
→ Stable
Jackson
English · #35
→ Stable
Preston
English · #329
↓ Declining
Spencer◈
English · #388
→ Stable
Hudson◈
English · #22
→ Stable
Henry
Germanic · #6
→ Stable
Source: Social Security Administration baby names data. Popularity data reflects US births. Feasibility data updated monthly.
Williams illustration
Name Intelligence
Williams · Overview
Summary

Williams is a Germanic boy name with cooling SSA momentum. It ranked #2542 in the US in 2024.

Strengths
Classic · Strong character
Williams carries a bold, grounded quality that makes it distinctive without being invented.
Considerations
Popularity declining
Rank has dropped 129 positions in the last year. Consider whether this trajectory matters for your decision.
Domain taken
williams.com is not available. Alternative TLDs may work.
Explore

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Data source:Social Security Administration
Coverage:US births 1879–2024
Updated:January 2025
ISR:Refreshes monthly
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