Total births
3,516
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.
- #10940
- among boys today
- 3,516
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Willam currently ranks #10940 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 #10940 nationally today, ahead of 23% 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.
- #10940 among boys today
- 3,516 born since 1880
- 1920s peak decade
- 23% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Willam is currently the #10940 boys' name in America, more common than 23% of boys - 3,516 born since 1880, peaking in the 1920s.
- #10940
- among boys today
- 3,516
- born since 1880
- 1920s
- peak decade
- 23%
- more common than other boys
Willam vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#10940
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 23% of names given to boys today.
1920s
Peak decade
16% of everyone ever named Willam was born in this single decade.
1959
Single peak year
76 babies were named Willam in 1959 - its busiest year on record.
How Willam compares
3,516 Top 15% higher than 85% 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
Willam's all-time total is 10x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Willam | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 3,516 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 76 | 23 | 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 at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
1959
Current rank
#10,940
Active since
1880
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
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
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 vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
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% |
Tennessee share of Willam's total US births 2.2%
Even split
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? ▼
Willam has been given to 3,516 babies in the U.S. since 1880, according to SSA data. Among boys, it ranks #10940 as of the latest data. 76 babies were born in 1959, its single highest year.
When was Willam most popular? ▼
Willam was most popular in the 1920s decade with 560 total births. The single peak year was 1959.
Where is Willam most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Willam are Tennessee (76 births), Texas (70 births), California (60 births).
How long has the name Willam been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Willam since 1880 -- 146 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Willam? ▼
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 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
- 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 Willam
Nearby Names Like Willam
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Willam
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 Willam side by side: Willam vs William Willam vs Willie Willam vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Willam
Merrill #10939
12,988 births · Peak 1926
Alvie #10941
4,094 births · Peak 1921
Vern #10938
11,497 births · Peak 1920
Phil #10942
20,036 births · Peak 1959
Zayaire #10937
12 births · Peak 2024
Thornton #10943
3,132 births · Peak 1921
Zakiyah #10936
7 births · Peak 2024
Alois #10944
2,525 births · Peak 1918
Data Sources
Data as of June 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. "Willam: #10940 Boys' Name - 3,516 Births, Peak 1959." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/willam. 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 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 June 2026.