Given name & surname
Bill
“the determined protector”·“will”·“desire”
In English use, Bill is a diminutive of William. William’s elements mean “will” or “desire” and “helmet” or “protection.” “Determined protector” is a natural interpretation of that combination.
Meaning & origin
What it means
In English use, Bill carries the interpretation “the determined protector.” In English use, Bill is a diminutive of William. William’s elements mean “will” or “desire” and “helmet” or “protection.” “Determined protector” is a natural interpretation of that combination.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Where it comes from
An origin associated with this spelling is English.
How it developed
In English use, Bill is used as a shortened form of William. In English use, Bill is a diminutive of William. The shared background comes through William: William joins the Germanic elements wil and helm. The second element began with the concrete image of a helmet and also carried the broader idea of protection.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
The story
Published U.S. birth records include this spelling as early as 1880. This is the earliest published observation available here, rather than a date for the name’s origin. In English use, Bill is a diminutive of William. The history of William gives this family its wider story. William spread widely in England after the Norman Conquest, among people beyond the Norman ruling class. William remained prominent through the Middle Ages and became a royal name in England, Germany, and the Netherlands.
Combines direct and name-family evidence
Bill through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 161,190
- 160,474 boys · 716 girls
- Most popular year
- 1947
- 4,688 babies
- 2025
- 18
- #5,235 for boys
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- −40%
- Cooling
By the numbers
In 2025, this name appeared in 18 U.S. birth records for boys, ranking No. 5,235 among boys’ names. Average annual use for boys was 40.3% lower in 2021–2025 than in 2016–2020. Its largest published annual count for boys was 4,681 in 1947. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 77,823 as a first name in 2020; 4,630 as a surname in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Bill’s family of names
In English usage, Bill is a diminutive of William. Bill has a related form in Billy. Bill is a short form of William.
Inner ring: spellings · middle: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Bill has relatives in 13 languages. Lines run from its English roots to each of them.
Nicknames & forms 15
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Spellings & scripts 1
The same name written differently, including transliterations into other scripts.
Across languages 24
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
See also 1
Names our sources mention alongside this one. They are related in story or meaning, not forms of this name.
People named Bill
- Bill GatesAmerican businessman, investor, and philanthropist (born 1955)
- Bill Clinton42nd President of the United States (1993–2001)born 1946
- Bill CosbyAmerican actor and comedian (born 1937)
- Bill PaxtonAmerican actor and filmmaker (1955–2017)
- Bill ShanklyScottish footballer and manager (1913-1981)
- Bill RussellAmerican basketball player (1934–2022)
- Bill IrwinAmerican actor, clown, and comedian (born 1950)
- Bill de Blasio109th Mayor of New York City from 2014 to 2022born 1961
- Bill MaherAmerican stand-up comedian and television hostborn 1956
Characters named Bill: Bill Potts (Doctor Who), Bill Tanner (the James Bond film and novel series), Bill Buchanan (the television series 24), Bill Foster (Marvel Comics).
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Bill, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
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