BABY NAMES
William
English, German
 Up in popularity
 Down in popularity
 Best bet
 Unisex
Naming your kid William is like giving him the perfect blank canvas to paint on. He can become urbane Will, country boy Billy, politician Bill, or even hipster will.i.am. The name's poetic history and classic sound have kept William in the top ranks of boys' names for centuries.

Variations
Will, Wilkie, Billie, Wiley, Billy, Williamson, Willyam, Wilkinson, Wilson, Wills, Willis, Willie, Bill, Bille, Wilkes, Willi, Willy
Popularity rankings from the Social Security Administration
William
About name popularity rankings
You may find some surprises -- for example, who knew Jennifer was a boy's name? Because this feature uses actual Social Security data, it includes the human error that attends a large survey, but it still reliably reflects the patterns of naming fashion.