Boy · #2,428 in 2026

Williams

Name: Popularity of the name Williams in U.S. births, 1880–2026
Creator: U.S. Social Security Administration
License: https://www.ssa.gov/foia/
Keywords: Williams, baby name, popularity, U.S., SSA, rankings

Current Rank

#2,428

Peak Rank

#488 (1950)

Total Babies

5-Yr Trend

+19%

1958

First Year

1981

Last Year

1958

Peak Year

#4889

Peak Rank

Total Count

Years Active

The Story of Williams

Williams first appeared in U.S. Social Security Administration records as a baby boy name in 1880, with 11 babies given the name that year. Its peak popularity came in 1950, when 86 Williamss were born — ranking #741 that year. As of 2026, Williams ranks #2,428 for baby boys with 58 births, rising sharply (+19% over the past five years). In total, more than 6K Williamss have been born in the U.S. since records began in 1880, spanning the 1880s through the 2020s.

Popularity Over Time

Popularity by State

Top 10

11-50

51-100

101-500

500+

No data

Names that sound like Williams

Phonetically similar names — useful when Williams is the vibe but a different syllable count or letter feel might suit better. Linked entries have a profile on Peek a Name.

Wiliams
William
Wm
Willaims
Willems
Welcomes
Willian
Wilsons
Wilkens
Willens
Woolums
Millions

Source: Datamuse . Phonetic similarity ranking, not curated.

Frequently Asked Questions about Williams

What does the name Williams mean?

Williams is a boy's name that has been used in U.S. records since 1880. Behind the Name doesn't list a specific etymology, but the name has remained in use across multiple decades.

How popular is Williams in 2026?

In 2026, Williams ranks #2,428 among boys' names in the U.S., with 58 babies given the name that year.

When was Williams most popular?

Williams reached its peak popularity in 1950, ranking #488 that year with 86 babies given the name.

In which U.S. states is Williams most popular?

Williams has historically been most popular in Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina. Rankings vary year to year, but these states show the strongest concentration of births named Williams.

Is Williams a unisex name?

In U.S. Social Security records, Williams is primarily a boy's name. We don't have meaningful data for it as a girl's name.

What names go well with Williams?

Names that share a similar style or popularity range with Williams include Adolfo, Dwain, Dewitt. These pairings are based on rank proximity and naming era in U.S. data.

About the name Williams

Williams is a boy baby name tracked by the U.S. Social Security Administration. It first appeared in SSA records in 1880 and has accumulated 6K births in the dataset. Williams's peak popularity came in 1950 when it ranked #488. Use the chart and map above to compare Williams's trajectory across years and U.S. states, or browse the related names section to discover similar choices.

Continue exploring

Data sources

Birth statistics (counts, ranks, years 1880–2026) — U.S. Social Security Administration . Predictions for years not yet released by SSA are computed by Peek a Name from historical trends; we update with official data as soon as it ships.
Etymology, cultural origins, and related forms — Behind the Name (used under their public API terms).
Meaning prose and editorial summary — Wikipedia article extracts, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 .
Predicted nationality distribution — Nationalize.io .
Phonetically similar names — Datamuse .

Peek a Name aggregates and presents the above data for informational purposes. Statistical predictions and external attributions are clearly labelled where shown; we make no guarantee of accuracy beyond what each source provides.