Williams
Boy name · #3039 in 2025 · Very rare
How old is the name Williams? In official American birth records, Williams has been tracked continuously since 1880, giving it 145 years of documented American history.
Williams is currently the #3039 boy name in the United States — 40 babies received it in 2025. A decade ago it stood at #2684, so the name has been falling over the past ten years. Roughly one in every 45,000 boys born in 2025 was named Williams.
Babies named Williams per year. Source: Official national birth records.
The 145-year story
Williams first appears in the Social Security records in 1880, when 11 boys received the name. Its peak came in 1950, when 86 boys were named Williams — good for #741 that year. Today's parents encounter it as a name from their grandparents’ generation, which is precisely the vintage window from which names get revived. Following the curve matters more than today's snapshot: a name's position on its rise-peak-decline arc is the best predictor of how common it will feel in a kindergarten class five years from now.
Unlock the 5-year forecast and compare Williams against up to 5 other names.
Uniqueness: will there be another Williams in class?
On our rarity read — which blends how common Williams is today with its five-year momentum — the name reads as "very rare". A high score means genuine rarity — your Williams will likely be the only one in the room, with the occasional spelling-out as the price.
Where Williams is most common
State-level data for Williams is too sparse in 2025 to rank by rate — in most states its count falls below the SSA's per-state reporting threshold (counts under 5 are withheld).
Names like Williams
Statistically, parents drawn to Williams tend to be choosing among names with similar popularity arcs, era profiles, and sounds — the closest matches in our model are Clarke, Denis, Frederic, Stanton, and Wayde.
ClarkeDenisFredericStantonWaydeBorisDomingoChristos
Rank history (last 25 years)
| Year | Babies named Williams | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | #3036 |
| 2024 | 53 | #2527 |
| 2023 | 57 | #2387 |
| 2022 | 40 | #3053 |
| 2021 | 46 | #2732 |
| 2020 | 37 | #3074 |
| 2019 | 45 | #2766 |
| 2018 | 52 | #2472 |
| 2017 | 42 | #2840 |
| 2016 | 36 | #3161 |
| 2015 | 45 | #2684 |
| 2014 | 38 | #2985 |
| 2013 | 40 | #2848 |
| 2012 | 47 | #2594 |
| 2011 | 45 | #2663 |
| 2010 | 36 | #3128 |
| 2009 | 56 | #2320 |
| 2008 | 68 | #2039 |
| 2007 | 63 | #2139 |
| 2006 | 57 | #2221 |
| 2005 | 53 | #2237 |
| 2004 | 52 | #2208 |
| 2003 | 58 | #1987 |
| 2002 | 62 | #1832 |
| 2001 | 63 | #1777 |
Frequently asked questions
How old is the name Williams?
In official American birth records, the name Williams first appeared in 1880 (over 145 years ago), when 11 newborn boys received the name. It has over a century of continuous American history.
Is Williams a popular boy name?
Williams ranked #3039 among boys in 2025 with 40 babies given the name — outside the top 500, making it an uncommon pick. Ten years earlier it ranked #2684.
When was the name Williams most popular?
Williams peaked in 1950, when 86 American boys received the name (ranked #741 that year). Since 1950 the name has declined from that high.
How rare is the name Williams?
In 2025, roughly 1 in 45,000 newborn American boys was named Williams. On our rarity scale (rarity blended with momentum) we classify it as "very rare".
Data source: Official American birth records, 1880–2025, national and state files. Counts reflect registered birth records for American families.