William
William comes from the Germanic "wil" (will, desire) and "helm" (helmet, protection) — meaning "resolute protector." William the Conqueror (c.1028-1087) invaded England in 1066 and became King of England. William has been in the US top 20 every year since 1880. It was the #2 boy name in 1880 and has been the #1 boy name in the 21st century (displacing Jacob in 2017). William (the playwright William Shakespeare, 1564-1616, the greatest writer in English) is the most famous bearer in history. The nickname Bill (as in Bill Gates) is one of the most natural in English; Will (as in Will Smith) is the modern form. William is a male name of Germanic origin that means "Resolute protector". Serious, patrician, and timeless. The name sounds historic. Williams vary widely. US #1 since 2017. Top 20 since 1880. Well-known people named William include William Shakespeare (playwright), William the Conqueror (King of England), William (Germanic name), William (fictional, various). Common variations and related forms of William include Wilhelm (German), Guillaume (French), Guillermo (Spanish), Liam (Irish short), Bill (nickname).