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You’ve finally narrowed it down to William! That’s the name you’ve chosen for your baby. Now, it’s time to choose some nicknames for William, and we are here to help! The name William originates in old German. It comes from the word Wilhelm, “wil” meaning “desire” and “helm” meaning “helmet,” which translates to “wilful protector.” William has consistently remained a popular choice for parents, often ranking among the top ten baby names for several years in many countries, including the United States, where it has maintained its charm through generations (1).
Shannon Robinson, a vlogger and mother of two, says William is one of the names she is interested in for her baby. She says, “William is such a classic name. There are so many Williams out there or Wills, but I just think it’s such a nice, classic British name. I know that’s not everyone’s cup of tea – classic, traditional. But traditional names, for me, just stand out. I sound so silly because they’re so common, but I just love them (i).”
Short Names Or Nicknames For William
While William is a beautiful name, let’s have a look at some precious nicknames derived from it for your little boy. You can call him Wil, Liam, or Lee, but if you think they’re too familiar, we’ve got an interesting list for you. Read on.
1. Bill
As a variant of Will, Bill has been in use since the 17th-century trend of swapping first letters of similar-sounding names. Bill Gates would be one of the most easily recognizable names.
2. Billem
A mix of Bill and William makes Billem creative and interesting. It can also be written as Bill’m to make it look more intriguing.
3. Billie
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Billie is a unisex nickname and is often combined with other names such as Billie-Jean or Billie-Joe. Today, Billie Eilish is one of the most promising young musicians in the USA and has found popularity worldwide.
4. Billy
A spelling variant of Billie, Billy also happens to be a popular nickname. A famous person bearing the name is musician and pianist Billy Joel.
5. Gee
Guillaume is the French form for William, and Gee sounds hip and trendy and is easy to remember. The name is pronounced as ghee in Europe and jhee in the USA.
6. Gil
Gil is short for Guillaume (French form for William). It is adorable and easy to pronounce. You can use it as a gender-neutral name.
7. Goulièlmos
Goulièlmos is the Greek variant of William and makes the Mediterranean accent sound exotic.
8. Gugghiermu
It is a variant of Guillermo (Greek form of William), popular in the Aeolian islands of Sicily. The name has the Italian tonality to it. Gugghiermu I was a popular ruler in the same region during the mid 12th century
9. Guglielmino
It is an Italian extension variant used for Guillermo (William in Greek) and is used for the youngest or beloved child of the family. The name sounds adorable and also has Latin influence in its formation.
10. Guglielmo
It is an Italian take on Guillermo (Greek form of William) and is quite popular. Guglielmo Marconi is a famous scientist who was the inventor of the radio and other wireless technology innovations.
11. Gui
Gui is the shortened form of Guillaume (French of William), sometimes used in France and Belgium. It is pronounced as gee.
12. Guildhelm
The Dutch used the name Guildhelm for knights and warriors. Like Wilhelm, Guildhelm combines the words ‘guild’ with ‘helm’ to mean ‘ a gilded helmet.’ It is one of those names that originated from the military and later became popular among the masses.
13. Guilelmo
One of the many Italian variants, Guilelmo (Guillermo is Spanish for William) is less formal and can be chosen as a nickname. Short forms used for Guillermo can also be used for Guilelmo.
14. Guilen
Guilen is an adorable nickname form of Guillermo (William in Spanish) used in the Basque region of Spain. It is to be pronounced as gee-len.
15. Guilgelmus
Guilgelmus is the Latinized form of Guillermo (Spanish form of William) used in ancient official texts and literature. It is pronounced as gee-gale-moos.
16. Guilhem
Guilhem is a nickname for Guillermo used in southern France and the Occitan area of Italy. It is pronounced as geel-hem.
17. Guilherme
The Portuguese have their versions of William, of which Guilherme is probably the most popular one. The name is also trendy in Brazil where the official language is Portuguese. Guilherme Arana is a popular footballer from Brazil.
18. Guilihelmus
In ancient Greek, names from other regions were adopted and modified to suit the Greek standards. Guilihelmus is one such example. The name found popularity among the catholic religious communities.
19. Guillaume
Guillaume is a popular name in France which originated from the German Wilhelm. It is pronounced as gee-yohm.
20. Guile
A shortened form of the Spanish Guillermo, Guile can be pronounced as both geel or ga-yil. The name has been used for a character in the popular video game Street Fighter.
21. Guillem
Guillem is a shortened form of Guillermo (Spanish form of William) popular in the Catalan regions of Spain. Guillem Balague is a popular Spanish journalist who is known for his sports, especially football coverage.
22. Guillen
A shortened nickname used in the Aragon valleys of Spain, Guillen is pronounced as ghee-len. Guillen is also a surname in the USA.
23. Guillermo
The Spanish equivalent of William traces its origin to Latin. When the Spanish migrated to America, the name also made its way and remained a popular name among Latin speakers. Guillermo Rodriguez is a popular comedian who appears alongside Jimmy Kimmel in his talk show.
24. Gulielmus
The ancient Roman courts used variations that were in sync with the formalities of the Latin languages. Gulielmus is one of such forms of the original Guillermo to adhere to heydays’ more formal Roman courts.
25. Guy
It is a nickname for Guillaume (a form of William) common in France. However, English speakers should be careful as it is pronounced ghee and not gai. Guy is a standalone name, popular in France and Belgium.
Did you know?26. Gwilherm
Gwilherm is a version popular of William in the Breton language spoken in Brittany in France. Originally, the Bretons hailed from the Netherlands that settled in Belgium and France.
27. Gwilim
Gwilim originated from the Spanish Guillero and gained prominence in the Welsh regions. The name also finds mentions in Welsh folktales.
28. Gwilym
It is a Welsh variant similar to Gwilim but a bit more popular. It is pronounced as gwai-leem. Gwilim Lee is the actor who played the role of Brian May in the Queen biopic movie Bohemian Rhapsody.
29. Helmi
It is a shortened form for Wilhelmina, the feminine of Wilhelm. The name is of popularity among many Icelandic and Norwegian communities.
30. Hillbilly
The name Hillbilly has been used a lot in the southern regions of the USA. It is often used to refer to the hill folks.
31. Iliam
The Irish Liam (short form of William) has gained much popularity as a standalone name. It sounds cool and trendy despite being short and easy to pronounce.
32. Jelle
Jelle is an adorable nickname used for Willem in Southern Netherland and some parts of Belgium. It uses the wordplay technique of swapping the first letter of a name to give it an interesting sound.
33. Liam
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Liam is a stylish and modern nickname for William. It is one of the popular Irish baby names that continues to grab parents’ attention. Actor Liam Neeson is a Hollywood actor who hails from Ireland.
Kim and Ross, youtubers and a couple, share their thoughts on the baby name Liam. According to Ross, Liam is quite a nice, strong boy’s name. Kim echoes the same opinion and says, “It’s very common, and you know, I actually don’t mind common names. It doesn’t really put me off at all if I like the name enough or if I absolutely love the name. If it’s common, that’s fine for me (ii).”
34. Memo
Memo is a sweet and shortened nickname used for Guillermo (variant of William) in the Spanish-speaking Latin American countries. It can be pronounced as mee-moh.
35. Minna
Minna is a nickname that happens to be the shortened form for Wilhelmina, a feminine form of Wilhelm.
36. Uilleag
Irish diminutive and variant of Uilleam (William in Scottish Gaelic language), Uilleag sounds exotic and encompasses the accent of the Irish dialects. It is pronounced as oy-lee-agh.
37. Uilleam
The Gaelic version of William uses a ‘U’ as the beginning to accentuate the Scottish dialect. Uilleam, the Earl of Mar, was a ruler who wielded power in the mid to late 13th century in the northern regions of Scotland
38. Uilliam
Uilliam is pronounced the same as William, with a small pinch of the Scottish accent. Like the previous version, ‘u’ is used instead of ‘w’ as the beginning letter and is a spelling variant.
39. Ulick
Ulick is a Norse name that finds popularity in Scandinavian countries like Denmark and Sweden. It is connected to the Scottish Uilliam in its spelling origins and is pronounced as oi-lik.
40. Ulliam
The Scots have many local varieties for William, most of them starting from ‘u’ instead of the ‘w.’ Uilliam is one of these popular Scottish equivalents of William.
41. Velam
The name Velam is of high familiarity among the Swedes and is found as names of characters in folk tales and mythologies.
42. Viiliimmi
It is a Norse-derived version of Williame, used by Greenlandic people. The name is also born by a Norse deity who is revered and admired in folk stories.
43. Vilhelms
It is the Latvian form of William and sounds almost similar to the German Wilhelms. The name is popular and among the personalities bearing the name is Latvian landscape painter Vilhelms Purvitis.
44. Vilhelmus
It is a standardized Latin version of Wilhelm. Vilhelmus adopts the ending ‘us,’ popular during the Roman reigns. The name can be pronounced as veel-hel-moos.
45. Vilhialmr
Vilhialmr is an old Norse version of William, popular in Sweden and Norway. The name can also be found in other Scandinavian cultures and has the typical Norwegian pronunciation to it.
46. Vilhjálmur
Associated with wars and warriors, Vilhjálmur is popular in Iceland. Though originating from the same German Wilhelm, the pronunciation has undergone variation and sounds like vil-hyal-mur.
47. Viliam
Like many eastern European cultures, ‘v’ is used in many names and may even start from ‘w’ in Slovakian. Villain is a popular variant in Slovakia and nearby countries.
48. Viliamu
It is a mispronounced Samoan variant that eventually got accepted as a standard in the Polynesian island nations. Kitiona Viliamu is a popular Samoan rugby player.
49. Vilis
Vilis is a diminutive of the Latvian Vilhelms and used as a nickname. It is almost similar sounding to the English surname Willis.
50. Viliumas
The male name Viliumas is a version of William, popular in the nation of Lithuania. Viliumas Malinauskas is a successful millionaire entrepreneur of Lithuanian background.
51. Viljam
Viljam is pronounced as veel-yam and is the Latvian form of William. The name has also seen popularity in certain parts of Norway.
52. Vilko
Croatians have used the creative nickname Vilko for William for a long time. Though it is related to William, Vilko also refers to wolves and foxes in certain Croatian dialects.
53. Villem
Villem is an Estonian variant of William. The name has been borne by some prominent Estonian personalities, one of them being Villem Gross, a well-regarded journalist and writer.
54. Vilmos
Vilmos can be a beautiful sounding nickname for William. It is a popular name in Hungary. Vilmos Szabadi is a successful classical violinist who has won multiple awards for his performances and compositions.
55. Vilyam
The Turkish originated version Vilyam is still in use in central Asia and many parts of eastern Europe. Vilyam Rokhi was a military general of the Latvian army during the first world war period.
56. Walaam
A Turkish iteration of William, Walaam better accommodates the Turkish accent in the name. The name sounds similar to the word ‘salaam’ used for salutations.
57. Weelum
The Scots equivalent, Weelum, is a popular name from Scottish fantasy and folktales. In one of such myths, Weelum is a bear who happens to be the gatekeeper to other worlds.
58. Wellëm
One of the variants popular in certain dialects in Luxembourg, Wellëm employs Luxembourgish pronunciation and spelling.
59. Wiley
Wiley is a spelling variant of Willy or Willie and ranks among the cute boy names. It is a more joyful and cheering variant of the popular Willy and can be pronounced as both wee-lee or wai-lee.
60. Wilhelm
It is the original German name from which William has been derived. The name is highly revered and is born by nobility and high-borns. Wilhelm II was the last German emperor who had an important role in strengthening the German might towards the late 19th century.
61. Wilhelmina
The feminine form of Wilhelm is popular in the Netherlands and Germany. The graceful name has been used as a brand name for one of the leading modeling and talent management firms in the world, based in New York.
62. Wilhelmus
The Dutch variant of Wilhelm, Wilhelmus, is much regarded and also happens to be the name of the national anthem of the Netherlands.
63. Will
The most popular shorter form of William, Will as a standalone name means ‘desire’. You would easily identify many big names with this name, popular ones being actors Will Smith and Will Ferrel.
64. Will.i.Am
It is the creative way of writing the name as popularized by the lead singer William James Adams of the band Black Eyed Peas.
65. Willa
Willa is a popular feminine name that originated from Will. Willa Holland bears the name and happens to be a popular television actress.
66. Willahelm
The old Germanic name Wilhelm has had many iterations in texts from region to region. The version Willahelm is found in the southwestern mountainous Black Forest areas in Germany.
67. Willame
It is the old Norman way of spelling by adding an ‘e’ to William. This particular spelling at one point was used more compared to William.
68. Willaume
It is a Welsh variant and is also used as a surname. A popular actor bearing the name is Alexandre Willaume.
69. Willelm
It is an Old English variant found in Anglo-Saxon records and literature. The pronunciation gravitates more towards the German Wilhelm.
70. Willem
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Willem is a Dutch variant of Willam. The name has originated in the Frisian tongues spoken in the northern Netherlands. Willem Dafoe is a veteran Hollywood actor.
71. Williamson
In Scottish, Williamson means ‘the son of William’ and is a common surname. Kane Williamson is a successful cricketer from New Zealand.
72. Willian
It is an Irish version that replaces the final ‘m’ with ‘n.’ This small spelling change also affects the pronunciation, making it sound like willy-anne.
73. Williama
It is the Hawaiian form of William to suit the local pronunciation of the Hawaiian dialects.
74. Willie
Country singer Willie Nelson is probably the most well-known personality bearing the name Willie. Willie or Willy are both nicknames extensions of Will.
75. Willis
Derived from William, Willis is a common surname in Scotland and is also popular as a first name. Actor Bruce Willis, of Diehard fame, bears the surname.
76. Willum
It is the Scottish derivation of the German name Wilhelm. The name is known to have gained popularity initially in the Glasgow region.
77. Willy
Willy is one of the highly popular nicknames for William. The name has been used for characters in many movies and literature. One such popular character is Willy Wonka from the book ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.’
Quick Tip78. Wilson
It is an English surname that traces its origin to the name Will or William. Wilson is highly recognizable, thanks to the popular sports brand.
79. Wiremu
It is a version that is popular among the Maori people of New Zealand. Wiremu Tamihana is a famous Maori leader of the late 19th century who is revered today as the ‘Kingmaker.’
80. Wiriamu
As the Japanese language does not differentiate between ‘l’ and ‘r,’ William often takes the form of Wiriamu.
81. Wull
Wull is a spelling variant of Will, and the ‘u’ replaces the ‘i’ to facilitate the Scottish way of pronouncing the name.
82. Wullie
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Wullie is a cute diminutive of William used in Scotland. The name is sometimes pronounced as woolly or even olie. Wullie is also a popular comic strip character published in The Sunday Post newspaper in Scotland.
83. Wulson
The Scottish form, Wulson, replaces the ‘i’ in the popular name Wilson with an ‘u’ to accentuate the Scottish pronunciation better.
84. Wylie
It is a spelling variant of Willie that can be either pronounced as wee-lee or wai-lee. Wylie Dufresne is a famous namesake who happens to be a world-renowned chef and restaurateur.
85. Wyllys
A variant of the Scottish surname Willis, the name’s first recorded use, is found in the market town of Dumfries. The Wyllyses have also been known to migrate to the USA in the 17th century.
Discover More Names
When you have to choose a name for your baby, a few hundreds of names may not be just enough. Keep digging our mine of baby names until you find that one precious gem.
Illustration: Creative Short Names Or Nicknames For William
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can nicknames for William be used to express affection or friendship?
Yes, most people choose nicknames to show their love and affection. But, sometimes, nicknames are also considered for any unique features or characteristics of the newborn.
2. Does the popularity of William’s nicknames vary by region or culture?
William’s nicknames are very popular in the US as well as worldwide. Also, most nickname variations are gender-neutral and widely used among many regions and cultures.
3. Can a William choose to go by their nickname professionally, or is it best to stick with their full name?
The decision for William to use their nickname professionally or stick with their full name relies on individual choice and the specific career context. Certain professions may favor a more formal approach, while others may be more accepting of using nicknames.
4. Is Bo a nickname for William?
Bo is not etymologically derived from William; however, some individuals named William may opt for the nickname “Bo.” While less common, it remains a good choice for those who prefer it.
5. Who are some famous personalities with the name William?
Many influential figures have borne the name William. Some examples include William Shakespeare, the renowned playwright, and William the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England. Prince William, a member of the British royal family, continues to carry this regal name.
6. What is the cultural significance of the name William?
William is a male given name of French origin that gained widespread popularity following the Norman conquest of England in 1066. In Britain, the name has been popularized by figures like William the Conqueror and William Shakespeare. In the United States, William is a classic and widely popular name, often shortened to Will or Bill.
A nickname is a sign of affection and intimacy between the one named and the one who gave them that name. They are usually a form of endearment and sometimes used as a substitute for long names. According to the Official Social Security Database of the US (2020), William is a popular name globally and is the 5th most popular name in the US. This list of interesting, common, and unusual nicknames for William will help you pick one that suits your William’s personality and preferences.
Infographic: Nicknames For William
William is among the most popular boy names, especially in the United States. Do you know someone with this name or have you been considering it for your newborn? Then, check out these nicknames for William in the below infographic. Illustration: Momjunction Design Team
Key Pointers
- William is one of the most famous boy names worldwide, associated with numerous famous historical and modern personalities.
- Nicknames and short names for William are necessary to set your William apart from the rest.
- You may choose any nickname or diminutive that fits your child’s personality and your culture.
- Some of the most common nicknames for William are Billy, Guy, Will, Liam, and Wylie.
- Guillaume, Jelle, Vilhelmus, Vilko, and Guilen are some regional variations of William that are often used as nicknames.
Personal Experience: Sources
MomJunction articles include first-hand experiences to provide you with better insights through real-life narratives. Here are the sources of personal accounts referenced in this article.
i. Baby boy names I love and we might use?!? | UK baby name ideas 2020 | HomeWithShan;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=evOmRbbIKi8&t=393sii. Baby boy names we love but won’t be using | Husband vs Wife;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLbxk3XbIfI&t=228s
References
- Popular Baby Names.
https://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/
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