Total births
2,840
Boys' name · since 1916
Willem
Since 1916, U.S. Social Security records show 2,840 babies named Willem, peaking in 2003. See the year-by-year trend, decade totals, and state rankings below, sourced from federal birth data.
- #2644
- among boys today
- 2,840
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other boys
2,840 babies have been named Willem since 1916, making it today's #2644 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willem has been recorded 2,840 times among boys since 1916, currently ranked #2644 nationally and more common than 82% of boys, with its heaviest use in the 2000s. This profile covers year-by-year birth trends, decade totals, and state-level distribution, all derived directly from SSA birth-registration files spanning 1916 to 2025.
- #2644 among boys today
- 2,840 born since 1916
- 2000s peak decade
- 82% more common than other boys
Data updated Jun 2026
The verdict
Willem is currently the #2644 boys' name in America, more common than 82% of boys - 2,840 born since 1916, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2644
- among boys today
- 2,840
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
- 82%
- more common than other boys
Willem vs. every other boys name in current SSA rankings
#2644
of 14,294 boys in use
More common than 82% of names given to boys today.
2000s
Peak decade
35% of everyone ever named Willem was born in this single decade.
2003
Single peak year
122 babies were named Willem in 2003 - its busiest year on record.
How Willem compares
2,840 Top 17% higher than 83% 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
Willem's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Willem | Median boys name (Elchonon) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,840 | 367 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 122 | 23 | 22,252 |
Willem's usage pattern, beyond the headline number
Splitting Willem's full recorded timeline at 1989, 90% of its total births fall in the more recent half of the record versus 10% in the earlier half -- usage has skewed toward the present, not a one-decade spike. Its quietest year on record was 1921, with just 5 recorded births -- worth weighing against the 2003 peak of 122 to see the full range of the name's swing in popularity.
Willem at a glance
Outside the top 1,000Peak year
2003
Current rank
#2,644
Active since
1916
Willem popularity over time
Annual U.S. births registered with the Social Security Administration · 1916–2025
- Peak year (2003)
- 122
- Annual births at peak, across 110 years of records
Willem by decade
Total births in each ten-year window, peak vs trough at a glance
2000s was Willem's strongest decade.
1,002 babies received the name during that ten-year window, about 35% of all-time use.
Willem births by decade
Total births in each ten-year window
- 1910s 8
1910s
8 births
- 1920s 18
1920s
18 births
- 1930s 5
1930s
5 births
- 1940s 5
1940s
5 births
- 1950s 30
1950s
30 births
- 1960s 71
1960s
71 births
- 1970s 62
1970s
62 births
- 1980s 112
1980s
112 births
- 1990s
1990s
443 births
- 2000s
2000s
1,002 births
- 2010s
2010s
743 births
- 2020s 341
2020s
341 births
What this shows Peak: 2000s at 1,002 births (35% of all-time use).
How Willem 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 Willem's total volume
Willem vs 15 similarly-sized boys names
Willem by state
Where Willem concentrates geographically, total births since 1916
| Rank | State | Visual share | Births | Share of total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | California | | 301 | 10.6% |
| #2 | New York | | 197 | 6.9% |
| #3 | Michigan | | 82 | 2.9% |
| #4 | Texas | | 71 | 2.5% |
| #5 | Illinois | | 55 | 1.9% |
| #6 | Pennsylvania | | 38 | 1.3% |
| #7 | Minnesota | | 37 | 1.3% |
| #8 | Massachusetts | | 35 | 1.2% |
California share of Willem's total US births 10.6%
Even split
301 of 2,840 births nationwide. Compared to a flat distribution across 20 reporting states.
Willem appears in 20 states. Explore state details →
Frequently Asked Questions
How popular is the name Willem? ▼
2,840 babies have been named Willem since 1916. It currently ranks #2644 among boys. The peak year was 2003 with 122 births.
When was Willem most popular? ▼
Willem was most popular in the 2000s decade with 1,002 total births. The single peak year was 2003.
Where is Willem most popular? ▼
The top states for the name Willem are California (301 births), New York (197 births), Michigan (82 births).
How long has the name Willem been used? ▼
The SSA has tracked Willem since 1916 -- 110 years through the most recent 2025 data.
What names are similar to Willem? ▼
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 Willem's data
- Willem's usage has stayed within range of its 2000s decade-level peak (1,002 total births) through the 2020s (341) -- a comparatively stable name, not a fading trend.
- California records the most Willems (301 births) -- see the full state breakdown if geography matters to your decision. California 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 Willem
Nearby Names Like Willem
Names with a similar sound, spelling, or feel to Willem
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 Willem side by side: Willem vs William Willem vs Willie Willem vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Willem
Nyle #2643
2,173 births · Peak 2016
Gareth #2645
4,389 births · Peak 2016
Gaspar #2642
2,211 births · Peak 2024
Payson #2646
1,443 births · Peak 2015
Orrin #2641
5,985 births · Peak 1915
Rony #2647
1,996 births · Peak 2009
Hamilton #2640
6,517 births · Peak 2016
Korey #2648
11,443 births · Peak 1990
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, 1916–2025 (ssa.gov/oact/babynames).
State-level: Source: U.S. Social Security Administration, Baby Names, State-Level Files (namesbystate.zip).
Cite this page
NameAlmanac Editorial. "Willem: #2644 Boys' Name - 2,840 Births, Peak 2003." NameAlmanac. Accessed via https://namealmanac.com/name/willem. 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 Willem 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.