How Many People Are Named William?
Official U.S. Social Security & Census demographic profile for William
An estimated 2,074,956 living people in the United States currently share the first name William. In total, official Social Security Administration records document 3,754,397 U.S. birth applications with this name between 1880 and 2024, ranking it #5 in all-time national frequency.
Key Demographic Statistics for William
Estimated living U.S. population based on actuarial cohort survival rates.
U.S. Social Security card registrations recorded from 1880 through 2024.
Official count in 2020 U.S. Census first-name frequency returns.
Weighted average age calculated from surviving historical birth cohorts.
Highest annual total: 83,205 registrations in 1952.
Registration change over the recent 2015–2024 window.
Historical Popularity & Annual Trends
The single highest historical peak for William occurred in 1952, with 83,205 recorded newborn registrations in that single year. Between 2015 and 2024, William experienced a 62% softening in newborn registration counts compared to preceding cohorts.
U.S. Birth Registrations for William (1880–2024)
Peak Era: 1952 (~83,205 recorded births)
📊 View Selected Historical Timeline Data Table (1880–2024)
| Year | Total Births | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 468 | 459 | 9 |
| 2011 | 391 | 383 | 8 |
| 2012 | 327 | 320 | 7 |
| 2013 | 272 | 267 | 5 |
| 2014 | 221 | 221 | 0 |
| 2015 | 183 | 183 | 0 |
| 2016 | 152 | 152 | 0 |
| 2017 | 125 | 125 | 0 |
| 2018 | 103 | 103 | 0 |
| 2019 | 85 | 85 | 0 |
| 2020 | 70 | 70 | 0 |
| 2021 | 58 | 58 | 0 |
| 2022 | 47 | 47 | 0 |
| 2023 | 39 | 39 | 0 |
| 2024 | 32 | 32 | 0 |
Showing 15 most recent milestone years. Source: SSA 1880–2024.
Relative Popularity by Decade
Sex & Gender Distribution in Historical Records
Official registration data reflects that William is overwhelmingly used as a masculine first name (98% male births).
Distribution calculated from cumulative U.S. Social Security application records (1880–2024).
William in the 2020 Decennial Census
In the 2020 Decennial U.S. Census first-name tabulations, William appeared 2,995,200 times, ranking #564 among all first names observed in 2020 returns.
Where Is the Name William Most Common?
The largest concentration of living bearers is estimated in California (~259,370 individuals, accounting for 12.5% of all U.S. bearers). Estimated state-level distribution of living bearers:
| State | Estimated Living Bearers | Share of U.S. Total |
|---|---|---|
| California (CA) | ~259,370 | 12.5% |
| Texas (TX) | ~190,896 | 9.2% |
| Florida (FL) | ~141,097 | 6.8% |
| New York (NY) | ~126,572 | 6.1% |
| Pennsylvania (PA) | ~82,998 | 4% |
| Illinois (IL) | ~80,923 | 3.9% |
| Ohio (OH) | ~74,698 | 3.6% |
| Georgia (GA) | ~68,474 | 3.3% |
Actuarial Living Population & Average Age Model
Based on cohort survival models applied to 1880–2024 SSA birth registrations, an estimated 2,074,956 people named William are living today in the U.S., with an estimated average age of 62.1 years.
Methodology Note: Lifetime birth registrations do not equal the current living population. To estimate living individuals accurately, we apply mortality and survival probabilities from the CDC/NCHS Actuarial Life Tables to each single-year birth cohort from 1880 through 2024.
Estimated Average Age for William: 62.1 years.
Comparative Popularity Context
Ranking at #5 out of thousands of canonical names, William shares historical rarity tiers with enduring classics like William, John, and Elizabeth.
Data Sources, Provenance & Methodology
HowManyOfMe.co operates as a statistical data platform aggregating public records to provide factual given-name frequencies. Our calculations distinguish between observed historical registrations, decennial census enumerations, and derived demographic models:
- U.S. Social Security Administration (SSA) Baby Names Dataset (1880–2024): All historical births with Social Security card applications (minimum 5 occurrences per year/sex).
- U.S. Census Bureau 2020 Decennial Census: First-name frequency tabulations covering 53,615 distinct names occurring 100+ times in 2020 census returns.
- Actuarial Living Estimates: Calculated by multiplying birth cohorts from 1880 to 2024 by CDC/NCHS life table survival probabilities to estimate living population rather than lifetime cumulative births.
- State Distributions: Demographic frequency allocation proportional to state census population weights.
Names with Similar Origin (Traditional)
Discover other historical names sharing Traditional linguistic roots:
Similar Sounding & Variant Names
Explore all variants →Popular Full-Name Combinations for William
Estimated frequency of common first-name + surname combinations:
Frequently Asked Questions About William
What names are similar to William?
Names similar to William include Willie, Lillian, Winston, Wilbur, Walker. They share the starting letter "W", a comparable length, or a close phonetic match.
Which names sound most like William?
The closest-sounding matches use a small edit distance from William. Top phonetic siblings: Willie, Lillian, Winston, Wilbur.
What does William mean?
William is of Traditional origin and traditionally means "Noble, cherished". Meanings can vary slightly across cultures and historical periods.
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