Total births
1,828
Boys' name · since 1880
Wilhelm
1,828 babies named Wilhelm in U.S. Social Security records since 1880, with the highest year being 2014. Year-by-year trend, decade aggregates, and state-level rankings drawn from federal birth data.
- #4202
- among boys today
- 1,828
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Wilhelm currently ranks #4202 among boys' names in America, with 1,828 babies recorded since 1880.
Wilhelm has 1,828 recorded births among boys since 1880, per the U.S. Social Security Administration, ranked #4202 as of the latest data, more common than 71% of boys, busiest in the 2010s -- see the year-by-year trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution below, all drawn directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #4202 among boys today
- 1,828 born since 1880
- 2010s peak decade
- 71% more common than other boys
Data updated Jul 2026
The verdict
Wilhelm is currently the #4202 boys' name in America, more common than 71% of boys - 1,828 born since 1880, peaking in the 2010s.
- #4202
- among boys today
- 1,828
- born since 1880
- 2010s
- peak decade
- 71%
- more common than other boys
Wilhelm vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#4202
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 71% of names given to boys today.
2010s
Peak decade
13% of everyone ever named Wilhelm was born in this single decade.
2014
Single peak year
38 babies were named Wilhelm in 2014 - its busiest year on record.
How Wilhelm compares
1,828 Top 22% higher than 78% of 14,294 names currently given to boys
Based on all-time total births among currently-ranked boys names. Names with fewer occurrences are grouped into wider buckets on the right.
Source U.S. Social Security Administration, national baby name data
How the numbers stack up
Wilhelm's all-time total is 5x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Wilhelm | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 1,828 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 38 | 23 | 22,252 |
Wilhelm's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Wilhelm splits its recorded history at 1960: 62% of all births land in the more recent half, 38% in the earlier half, a lean toward present-day use rather than a passing spike. The single quietest year was 1887 (5 births) -- compare that against the 2014 peak of 38 for a sense of just how much the name's popularity has swung.
Wilhelm at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2014
Current rank
#4,202
Active since
1880
Wilhelm popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (2014)
- 38
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Wilhelm by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2010s was Wilhelm's strongest decade.
233 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 13% of all-time use.
Wilhelm births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 41
1880s
41 births
- 1890s 26
1890s
26 births
- 1900s 37
1900s
37 births
- 1910s
1910s
183 births
- 1920s
1920s
122 births
- 1930s
1930s
109 births
- 1940s 67
1940s
67 births
- 1950s
1950s
113 births
- 1960s
1960s
167 births
- 1970s
1970s
124 births
- 1980s
1980s
123 births
- 1990s
1990s
125 births
- 2000s
2000s
205 births
- 2010s
2010s
233 births
- 2020s
2020s
153 births
What this shows Peak: 2010s at 233 births (13% of all-time use).
How Wilhelm compares to similarly-sized names
Years in SSA records vs. share of all-time use concentrated in the single peak year, among 15 boys names closest to Wilhelm's total volume
Wilhelm vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Wilhelm by state
Where Wilhelm concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | New York | | 22 | 1.2% |
| #2 | California | | 16 | 0.9% |
| #3 | Minnesota | | 6 | 0.3% |
| #4 | Iowa | | 5 | 0.3% |
| #5 | Pennsylvania | | 5 | 0.3% |
New York share of Wilhelm's total US births 1.2%
Even split
22 of 1,828 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 5 reporting states.
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Wilhelm? ▼
Since 1880, Social Security records show 1,828 babies named Wilhelm. Today it holds rank #4202 among boys. Its busiest year on record was 2014, with 38 births.
When was Wilhelm most popular? ▼
Wilhelm was most popular in the 2010s decade with 233 total births. The single peak year was 2014.
Where is Wilhelm most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Wilhelm are New York (22 births), California (16 births), Minnesota (6 births).
How long has the name Wilhelm been used? ▼
Wilhelm has been recorded in Social Security data since 1880, spanning 146 years of data through 2025.
What names are similar to Wilhelm? ▼
Names with a similar sound or spelling include William, Willie, Willard, Wilbur, and 4 more. These share a common prefix and are also used for boys.
What to do with Wilhelm's data
- Wilhelm's usage has stayed within range of its 2010s decade-level peak (233 total births) through the 2020s (153) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- New York records the most Wilhelms (22 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. New York names
- Weighing it against an alternative? Put two names side by side. Compare names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Wilhelm
Nearby Names Like Wilhelm
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Wilhelm
William Boy
#10 4,199,696 births
Willie Boy
#1364 450,188 births
Willard Boy
#2958 77,658 births
Wilbur Boy
#2959 56,906 births
Willis Boy
#2638 52,336 births
Compare Wilhelm side by side: Wilhelm vs William Wilhelm vs Willie Wilhelm vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Wilhelm
Data Sources
Data as of July 2026. Source: U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA).
According to the Social Security Administration, this profile draws directly from the agency's public-use baby-name files (updated June 2026). See our methodology for the full extraction, aggregation, and privacy-suppression rules.
Primary: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names from Social Security Card Applications, National Data, 1880–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Wilhelm: #4202 Boys' Name - 1,828 Births, Peak 2014." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/wilhelm. Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Name Almanac is rendered directly from the Social Security Administration's public baby-name files, no number is typed in by an editor. This profile for Wilhelm draws directly on SSA national and state-level files, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026.