Given name
Wilhelmine
“determined protector”·“will”·“desire”
Wilhelmine is a variant of Wilhelmina. In German use, Wilhelmina carries the interpretation “determined protector.” Wilhelmine is a feminine form 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
Wilhelmine is a variant of Wilhelmina. In German use, Wilhelmina carries the interpretation “determined protector.” Wilhelmine is a feminine form of William. William’s elements mean “will” or “desire” and “helmet” or “protection.” “Determined protector” is a natural interpretation of that combination.
Explained through its name family
Where it comes from
Wilhelmine is a feminine form of William. William is an English form of a Germanic name brought to England by the Normans.
Explained through its name family
How it developed
Wilhelmine is a feminine form 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.
Explained through its name family
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 German use, Wilhelmine has a related form in Wilhelm. The history of Wilhelm gives this family its wider story. Wilhelm has historical associations with royal or imperial families. Wilhelmine is a feminine form 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
Wilhelmine through the years
- Babies since 1880
- 525
- 0 boys · 525 girls
- Most popular year
- 1896
- 20 babies
- 2025
- 0
- Outside the ranked list
- 2021–25 vs 2016–20
- —
- Too few births to compare
By the numbers
The most recent published U.S. birth count for girls is 6 in 2023. Later missing counts do not mean the name went unused. Published U.S. population figures for this spelling include 228 as a first name in 2020.
From Social Security birth records and U.S. Census name counts for this exact spelling. Other spellings are counted separately.
Wilhelmine’s family of names
In German usage, Wilhelmine has a short form in Minna. Wilhelmine is a feminine form of William. In German usage, Wilhelmine has a conventional equivalent in the Spanish form Guillermina.
Inner ring: nicknames and forms · outer: across languages.
Around the world
Wilhelmine has relatives in 7 languages.
9 related names in 7 languages. Point at a dot, or tab to the map and use the arrow keys.
Nicknames & forms 5
Diminutives, pet forms, short forms and variants used alongside the name.
Across languages 11
Equivalents and cognates in other languages, plus older forms it grew from.
- Williammasculine form
- Miinaequivalent
- GuillerminaSpanish
- Mienlborrowing · gmw-ecg
- GuillaumetteFrench
- VilemínaCzech
- Vilhelmineequivalent
- Wilhemineequivalent
Show 3 moreShow fewer
People named Wilhelmine
- Wilhelmine, Margravine of Brandenburg-BayreuthMargravine of Brandenburg-Bayreuth (1709-1758)
- Princess Wilhelmina of Hesse-KasselPrussian princess (1726-1808)
- Wilhelmine Schröder-DevrientGerman opera soprano (1804–1860)
- Princess Wilhelmine, Duchess of SaganDuchess of Sagan (1781–1839)
- Hansi BurgGerman actress (1898-1975)
- Wilhelmine, Gräfin von LichtenauMistress of King Frederick William II of Prussia (1753-1820)
- Wilhelmine von HillernGerman actress and writer (1836–1916)
- Baroness Wilhelmine of DörnbergGerman princess (1804–1835)
- Wilhelmine Clauss-Szarvadypianist (1834–1907)1832–1907
Listed by how widely each person is written about, which says nothing about the name itself.
Similar names
If you love Wilhelmine, these share its style, era, origin or sound, from outside its own family.
Williamina
“will” · “desire”
>99% girls
Idah
“a king”
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Idalee
“a king”
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Helma
“determined protector” · “will”
>99% girls
Ellnora
“shining light”
>99% girls
Cleora
“a father's glory; of the royal family”
>99% girls
Sadelle
“a beautiful fairylike princess”
>99% girls
Izella
“a princess; a devoted woman”
>99% girls