Billy
Billy is a boy's name of Germanic origin.
Meaning
Resolute protector or desired protection.
Origin and history
Billy originated as an English diminutive of William, which traces back to Germanic roots meaning resolute protector. Long established as an independent given name, it saw peak popularity in the United States during the mid-20th century. Today it remains a recognizable classic, though used less frequently for newborn boys.
Popularity in the United States
384,233 babies in the United States have been named Billy since 1880. It ranks #90 all-time. Among babies born since 2020 it ranks #960.
States where it is most popular
- TX (16.1 %)
- TN (7.3 %)
- OK (6.2 %)
- NC (6.1 %)
- AL (6 %)
Trends by decade
| Decade | Births |
|---|---|
| 1880-1890 | 63 |
| 1890-1900 | 99 |
| 1900-1910 | 209 |
| 1910-1920 | 3,016 |
| 1920-1930 | 42,096 |
| 1930-1940 | 88,341 |
| 1940-1950 | 67,833 |
| 1950-1960 | 59,277 |
| 1960-1970 | 48,472 |
| 1970-1980 | 33,217 |
| 1980-1990 | 20,650 |
| 1990-2000 | 10,942 |
| 2000-2010 | 5,670 |
| 2010-2019 | 3,099 |
| 2020-2029 | 1,249 |
Famous people named Billy
- Billy Joel: Musician, Singer
- Billy Crystal: Actor, Comedian
- Billy Bob Thornton: Actor, Filmmaker
Nicknames
Bill
Fun facts
- Billy evolved as a pet form of Bill, which itself arose from William through medieval English consonant swapping.
- The name consistently ranked among the top 20 most popular names for U.S. boys during the 1930s and 1940s.