Boy name
William name meaning
“name combining will and helmet”
William is a name combining will and helmet. It reached English through Norman French from Germanic elements wil, meaning desire or resolve, and helm, meaning helmet or protection. In Türkiye, it is used as a masculine name. William Shakespeare, the author of Hamlet, provides a literary association; Wilhelmina is related.
- Gender
- ♂ Boy
- Origin
- European languages
- Syllables
- 3
- Popularity
- #3,877
What does William mean?
Name combining will and helmet
In Turkish: irade ve miğfer kavramlarını birleştiren ad
William represents the old Germanic tradition of forming names from two elements. William the Conqueror and William Shakespeare provide major historical and literary associations. Wilhelm and Guillaume are counterparts in other languages, while Will and Bill are established English short forms of the same name.
Origin of the name William
William is an English name of Germanic origin transmitted through Norman French. Its older elements are wil, 'will or desire', and helm, 'helmet or protection'.
| Linguistic origin | European languages |
|---|---|
| Is William in the Quran? | No |
| Starts with | W |
How to pronounce William
| Syllables | 3 · 7 letters · 7-letter boy names |
|---|---|
| IPA | /william/ |
Is William a boy’s name?
Yes, William is used mostly as a boy’s name. See all boy names.
William does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
FAQ about the name William
What is the meaning of William?
William means “name combining will and helmet”. William is an English name of Germanic origin transmitted through Norman French. Its older elements are wil, 'will or desire', and helm, 'helmet or protection'.
Is William a boy’s name?
Yes, William is used mostly as a boy’s name.
Is William in the Quran?
No. Neither the name William nor its source word occurs in the Quran.
What is the origin of the name William?
William is of European languages origin.
How many syllables does William have?
William has 3 syllables and 7 letters.
How popular is the name William?
William does not appear in TÜİK’s top-30 lists (Türkiye and provinces, up to 2025). In our sample of notable people (Wikidata), 1 people bear it; this is not a national figure.
Sources and method
Meanings and origins draw on language sources and name dictionaries; popularity figures come from TÜİK’s address-based population register, and notable people from Wikidata.
Entry ID: nm11790 · Updated 2026-10-24 · How we research names · Report a mistake