Boys' name · since 1880
Willam
Since 1880, U.S. Social Security records show 3,516 babies named Willam, peaking in 1959. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2,278 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #12,018 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 3,516
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Willam currently ranks #12018 among boys' names in America, with 3,516 babies recorded since 1880.
Social Security Administration records show Willam recorded 3,516 times among boys since 1880, holding rank #12018 nationally today, ahead of 14% of boys, peaking in the 1920s. This profile derives year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1880 to 2025.
- #2,278 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #12,018 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 3,516 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willam ranks #2,278 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #12,018 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 3,516 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #2,278 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #12,018 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 3,516
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
Willam's 3,516 recorded births place it above 94.99% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
18 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by Tennessee.
How Willam compares
3,516 Top 16% higher than 84% of 13,930 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
Willam's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Willam | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,516 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 76 | 34 | 22,252 |
Willam's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Divide Willam's SSA record in two at 1947 and the more recent half accounts for 44% of all births, the earlier half the remaining 56%, a genuinely balanced usage pattern. Its calmest year was 1995, with only 5 births recorded -- set against the 1959 peak of 76, that's the full swing in one name's fortunes.
Willam popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1880–2025
- Peak year (1959)
- 76
- Annual births at peak, across 146 years of records
Willam by decade
1920s is the heaviest window (560 births, 16% of the file).
1920s was Willam's strongest decade.
560 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 16% of all-time use.
Willam births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1880s 101
1880s
101 births
- 1890s 78
1890s
78 births
- 1900s 62
1900s
62 births
- 1910s
1910s
256 births
- 1920s
1920s
560 births
- 1930s
1930s
510 births
- 1940s
1940s
518 births
- 1950s
1950s
549 births
- 1960s
1960s
420 births
- 1970s 181
1970s
181 births
- 1980s 144
1980s
144 births
- 1990s 12
1990s
12 births
- 2000s 61
2000s
61 births
- 2010s 42
2010s
42 births
- 2020s 22
2020s
22 births
What this shows Peak: 1920s at 560 births (16% of all-time use).
How Willam 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 Willam's total volume
Willam by state
Where Willam concentrates geographically, total births since 1880
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tennessee | | 76 | 2.2% |
| #2 | Texas | | 70 | 2.0% |
| #3 | California | | 60 | 1.7% |
| #4 | North Carolina | | 44 | 1.3% |
| #5 | Georgia | | 38 | 1.1% |
| #6 | Ohio | | 36 | 1.0% |
| #7 | Alabama | | 35 | 1.0% |
| #8 | Kentucky | | 32 | 0.9% |
76 of 3,516 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 18 reporting states.
Willam appears in 18 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Willam? ▼
Where does Willam sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Willam most popular? ▼
Where is Willam most popular? ▼
How long has the name Willam been used? ▼
What names are similar to Willam? ▼
What to do with Willam's data
- Willam's decade-level peak was the 1920s (560 total births); usage has since declined to 22 in the 2020s -- if you're weighing a "classic revival" angle, the trend line argues against it.
- Tennessee records the most Willams (76 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. Tennessee names
Figures reflect SSA-reported births only; see the methodology above for the privacy-suppression floor.
Keep exploring Willam
Nearby Names Like Willam
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Willam
Compare Willam side by side: Willam vs William Willam vs Willie Willam vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Willam
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Willam: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~1959)
Similar record span (~145 yrs)
Peak year is the single SSA year with the most births for that name; record span is first-to-latest year in the national files, not a recommendation or shared origin claim.
Data Sources
Data as of August 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).
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 Willam 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 August 2026.