William Name Meaning, Origin & Gender

William Name at a Glance

Name	William
Meaning	Henry VI, 2' Sir John Stanley. 'Henry VI, Part III' Sir William Stanley. As You Like It' A country fellow, in love with Audrey. 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' A boy, son to Page. 'Richard III' Sir William Catesby. 'Richard III' Sir William Brandon.
Origin	Shakespearean
Gender	Boy

What Does the Name William Mean?

According to the information recorded in our baby name database, William means “Henry VI, 2' Sir John Stanley. 'Henry VI, Part III' Sir William Stanley. As You Like It' A country fellow, in love with Audrey. 'The Merry Wives of Windsor' A boy, son to Page. 'Richard III' Sir William Catesby. 'Richard III' Sir William Brandon”. Name meanings can vary between languages, regions and naming traditions, so families may also wish to confirm a meaning within the cultural or linguistic context that matters to them.

William Name Origin

Our database records William under Shakespearean origin. Browse more Shakespearean baby names to compare other names in the same origin collection.

Is William a Boy or Girl Name?

In our database, William is listed as a boy name. Usage can differ across countries, languages and families.

Choosing the Name William

When considering William for a baby, you may want to compare its recorded meaning and origin with family traditions, pronunciation, spelling, initials, middle names and how the full name sounds with the family name.