Billie
Billie began as a diminutive of William, from the Germanic "wil" (will) and "helm" (helmet). It means "resolute protector." For most of its history, Billie was used for boys — Billy the Kid (1859-1881) was the most famous male bearer. But by the early 20th century, Billie was also being used for girls, and the female form eventually overtook the male. Billie Holiday (1915-1959) is the name's most important bearer. Born Eleanora Fagan, she took her stage name from the actress Billie Dove. Holiday was one of the greatest jazz singers in history — "Strange Fruit" (1939), her harrowing song about lynching, is one of the most powerful recordings of the 20th century. The name became inseparable from her voice. In the 2020s, Billie Eilish (born 2001) made the name contemporary again. Her debut album "When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?" (2019) won five Grammys. The name is now firmly back in fashion — it entered the US top 1000 for girls in 2018 after a long absence. I find Billie appealing for its combination of tomboy energy and jazz-club elegance. Billie is a unisex name of Germanic origin that means "Resolute protector (from William)". Tomboy, soulful, and contemporary. The name sounds like it has a voice. Billies tend to be expressive. Re-entered US top 1000 in 2018. Now top 600. Well-known people named Billie include Billie Holiday (singer), Billie Eilish (singer), Billie Jean King (tennis player), Billie Piper (actress/singer). Common variations and related forms of Billie include Billy (male spelling), Willie (related), Billi (modern), Wilhelmina (full feminine form).