Holding steady, #3,036 for boys today.
Popularity of Williams since 1880
Babies named Williams per year in U.S. Social Security records. Raw births topped out in 1950, but relative to how few babies were recorded back then, Williams's real moment was 1892.
Data table (by decade)
| Decade | Boys |
|---|---|
| 1880s | 101 |
| 1890s | 106 |
| 1900s | 134 |
| 1910s | 386 |
| 1920s | 603 |
| 1930s | 547 |
| 1940s | 573 |
| 1950s | 606 |
| 1960s | 510 |
| 1970s | 404 |
| 1980s | 383 |
| 1990s | 494 |
| 2000s | 580 |
| 2010s | 426 |
| 2020s | 273 |
Meaning & origin
Williams is a patronymic surname turned given name, most familiar as the last name of notable figures in American history and culture. While it has been recorded for boys since at least 1880, it peaked in 1892 and has never been a common first name. In the most recent year (2025), Williams ranked 3,036th with a rate of about 1 in 42,702 newborns. The name appears most frequently in the state of Texas. As a given name, it follows the trend of using surnames as first names, but it remains relatively rare compared to other surnames like Jackson or Madison.
Williams is a patronymic surname derived from the given name William, which itself comes from the Norman French Willaume, ultimately from the Old High German name Willahelm, composed of 'willio' (will, desire) and 'helm' (helmet, protection). As a given name, it has been used in English-speaking countries since the 19th century, often as a surname transferred to first name.
Where Williams is most popular
Births per 100,000 boys by state. Press play or drag the slider to watch it move across the decades. The lightest shade means too few recorded births.
“Williams” around the world
Where Williams lands in the latest official birth statistics abroad, matched to the U.S. spelling.
France
5
babies in 2024
Sources: INSEE (France).
Nicknames & variants
Nicknames: Will, Willy, Bill, Billy, Liam
Sibling names for Williams
Names that share Williams's style, for a brother or sister.
