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.
- #2,639 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,574 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,840
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
2,840 babies have been named Willem since 1916, making it today's #2574 boys' name.
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willem has been recorded 2,840 times among boys since 1916, currently ranked #2574 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.
- #2,639 of 45,481 all-time among boys
- #2,574 of 13,930 2025 SSA year
- 2,840 born since 1916
- 2000s peak decade
Data updated Aug 2026
The verdict
According to the U.S. Social Security Administration, Willem ranks #2,639 of 45,481 boys' names by all-time recorded births (highest first) and #2,574 of 13,930 among boys' names in 2025. 2,840 born since 1916, peaking in the 2000s.
- #2,639 of 45,481
- all-time among boys
- #2,574 of 13,930
- 2025 SSA year
- 2,840
- born since 1916
- 2000s
- peak decade
Willem's 2,840 recorded births place it above 94.19% of the 45,481 boys names in the full SSA archive.
20 jurisdictions carry state-level records, led by California.
How Willem compares
2,840 Top 18% higher than 82% 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
Willem's all-time total is 8x the median boys name, and Liam still leads by a wide margin.
| Metric | Willem | Median boys name (Takari) | #1 boys name (Liam) |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-time total births | 2,840 | 369 | 358,536 |
| Peak-year births | 122 | 34 | 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 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
2000s is the heaviest window (1,002 births, 35% of the file).
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 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% |
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? ▼
Where does Willem sit in the SSA name archive? ▼
When was Willem most popular? ▼
Where is Willem most popular? ▼
How long has the name Willem been used? ▼
What names are similar to Willem? ▼
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
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
Compare Willem side by side: Willem vs William Willem vs Willie Willem vs Willard
Related Names
Names with a similar popularity rank to Willem
Nationwide names with similar peak year or record span
Two nationwide peer axes for Willem: closest SSA peak year, and closest first→latest record span. Distinct from the spelling and current-rank neighborhoods above.
Similar peak year (~2003)
Similar record span (~109 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, 1916–2025 (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 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 August 2026.