Bill
Bill is a boy's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Resolute protector or desire for protection.
Origin and history
Bill originated as a traditional English short form of William, which comes from Germanic roots meaning resolute protector. While historically used as an independent given name, it saw its peak usage in the mid-20th century in the United States. Today, it is more commonly encountered as a familiar nickname than as a standalone birth name.
Popularity in the United States
160,474 babies in the United States have been named Bill since 1880. It ranks #214 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #1787.
States where it is most popular
- CA (11.6 %)
- TX (7.1 %)
- IL (6.1 %)
- OH (5.9 %)
- OK (5 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 600 |
| 1890-1900 | 789 |
| 1900-1910 | 1,513 |
| 1910-1920 | 6,599 |
| 1920-1930 | 22,288 |
| 1930-1940 | 32,338 |
| 1940-1950 | 37,756 |
| 1950-1960 | 23,877 |
| 1960-1970 | 25,132 |
| 1970-1980 | 5,206 |
| 1980-1990 | 1,815 |
| 1990-2000 | 1,153 |
| 2000-2010 | 845 |
| 2010-2019 | 423 |
| 2020-2029 | 140 |
Famous people named Bill
- Bill Gates: Entrepreneur, Philanthropist
- Bill Clinton: Politician, President
- Bill Murray: Actor, Comedian
Nicknames
Billy, Billie
Fun facts
- The shift from Will to Bill originated in medieval England through a common practice of rhyming nicknames.
- Bill was consistently ranked among the top given names for boys in the United States during the early-to-mid 20th century.