Popularity overview
William in 2025, in four numbers — all from the SSA counts.
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William, state by state, 2025
William was published in 50 states and DC in 2025. Darker tiles are the states where it ranks highest. Tap a state to compare it with Texas.
- ALAlabama
- AKAlaska
- AZArizona
- ARArkansas
- CACalifornia
- COColorado
- CTConnecticut
- DEDelaware
- DCDistrict of Columbia
- FLFlorida
- GAGeorgia
- HIHawaii
- IDIdaho
- ILIllinois
- INIndiana
- IAIowa
- KSKansas
- KYKentucky
- LALouisiana
- MEMaine
- MDMaryland
- MAMassachusetts
- MIMichigan
- MNMinnesota
- MSMississippi
- MOMissouri
- MTMontana
- NENebraska
- NVNevada
- NHNew Hampshire
- NJNew Jersey
- NMNew Mexico
- NYNew York
- NCNorth Carolina
- NDNorth Dakota
- OHOhio
- OKOklahoma
- OROregon
- PAPennsylvania
- RIRhode Island
- SCSouth Carolina
- SDSouth Dakota
- TNTennessee
- TXTexas
- UTUtah
- VTVermont
- VAVirginia
- WAWashington
- WVWest Virginia
- WIWisconsin
- WYWyoming
William was published in 50 states and DC in 2025. William was published in every state and DC in 2025. Choose a coloured state to compare it with Texas.
Rank #1–300 Rank #301–800 Rank #801+ No published count
| Alabama | #2 | 331 |
| Mississippi | #2 | 155 |
| Georgia | #3 | 475 |
| South Carolina | #3 | 269 |
| Montana | #3 | 52 |
| Wyoming | #3 | 24 |
| North Carolina | #4 | 500 |
| District of Columbia | #5 | 43 |
| Tennessee | #6 | 374 |
| Maryland | #6 | 185 |
| Idaho | #6 | 86 |
| Alaska | #6 | 36 |
| Ohio | #7 | 431 |
| Virginia | #7 | 358 |
| Missouri | #7 | 253 |
| Minnesota | #7 | 226 |
| Louisiana | #7 | 149 |
| Colorado | #8 | 228 |
| Utah | #8 | 178 |
| Arkansas | #8 | 125 |
| Kansas | #8 | 121 |
| Nebraska | #8 | 71 |
| Maine | #8 | 43 |
| South Dakota | #8 | 41 |
| Massachusetts | #9 | 271 |
| Oregon | #9 | 117 |
| Kentucky | #10 | 173 |
| New Hampshire | #10 | 56 |
| Michigan | #11 | 302 |
| Washington | #11 | 239 |
| Indiana | #11 | 218 |
| Wisconsin | #11 | 193 |
| Oklahoma | #11 | 127 |
| Connecticut | #12 | 114 |
| West Virginia | #13 | 55 |
| Pennsylvania | #14 | 368 |
| Illinois | #14 | 334 |
| Iowa | #14 | 96 |
| Hawaii | #14 | 28 |
| Vermont | #15 | 17 |
| North Dakota | #17 | 29 |
| Texas | #21 | 892 |
| New York | #21 | 459 |
| Rhode Island | #22 | 25 |
| Florida | #28 | 485 |
| Arizona | #28 | 166 |
| New Mexico | #28 | 39 |
| New Jersey | #32 | 200 |
| Delaware | #32 | 21 |
| California | #47 | 717 |
| Nevada | #50 | 50 |
States with no published count are not listed with a number: SSA publishes a name only when at least 5 babies of one sex received it in that state in that year. William may have been given to 1–4 boys in those states, but the count is not published and is never guessed here.
William ranks highest in Alabama: #2 in 2025, with 331 boys. The most Williams were born in Texas: 892 boys in 2025, where it ranked #21.
How William has changed over time
National rank by year, 2010 to 2025. Lower is more popular.
The chart shows the name's national rank each year. Lower is more popular. Years with fewer than 5 births are left blank, because the SSA does not publish a count for them.
William first appeared in national SSA data in 1910. In 2024 it ranked #10 with 10,647 boys. In 2025 it jumped 1 places to #9, with 10,545 boys. William has ranked in the national top 10 for boys every year since 2010.
Births per year, 2010–2025
How many boys were named William each year. Years with fewer than 5 births are not shown, because the SSA does not publish a count for them.
| Year | National rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #5 | 17,072 |
| 2011 | #3 | 17,362 |
| 2012 | #5 | 16,917 |
| 2013 | #5 | 16,669 |
| 2014 | #5 | 16,851 |
| 2015 | #5 | 15,950 |
| 2016 | #3 | 15,810 |
| 2017 | #3 | 15,046 |
| 2018 | #3 | 14,646 |
| 2019 | #4 | 13,658 |
| 2020 | #5 | 12,676 |
| 2021 | #6 | 12,170 |
| 2022 | #6 | 11,356 |
| 2023 | #10 | 10,673 |
| 2024 | #10 | 10,647 |
| 2025 | #9 | 10,545 |
50 years of William
National rank and births at five points in time — 50, 25, 10 and 5 years ago, and today.
| When | National rank | Births |
|---|---|---|
| 50 years ago (1975) | #10 | 25,561 |
| 25 years ago (2000) | #11 | 20,669 |
| 10 years ago (2015) | #5 | 15,950 |
| 5 years ago (2020) | #5 | 12,676 |
| Today (2025) | #9 | 10,545 |
In 1975 William ranked #10 nationally; by 2025 it had climbed to #9.
The William story so far
When it first appeared, when it broke into the top 100, and where it stands now — every step from the SSA counts.
- First appeared in national SSA data in 1910, with 8,844 boys.
- First entered the national top 1,000 in 1910.
- First entered the national top 100 in 1910.
- Highest rank so far: #2 in 1911.
- 116 years in the national top 100.
- Where it stands now: #9 in 2025, with 10,545 boys.
Names like William
Names ranked closest to William in 2025, and the names rising fastest alongside it.
Ranked closest to William in 2025
What this does not tell you
This page gives no meaning or origin for the name, because meaning data does not come from SSA. It also gives no middle-name or sibling suggestions: SSA does not publish middle names, and no dataset records sibling pairings.
Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, baby names data, births in 2025, released May 2026. Data checked 8 November 2026. ssa.gov baby names.