William: name meaning and numbers
In Pythagorean numerology William adds up to 34, which reduces to 7, its Expression number. In the Chaldean system it adds up to 19, which reduces to 1.
William became common in England after the Norman conquest of 1066, and Canada gave the name to 2,483 boys in 2009.
Where William comes from and how it spread
William is a Germanic name made of two parts, usually given as will and helmet. William the Conqueror was crowned in 1066, and the name spread in England after the Norman conquest. The United States recorded 60,680 boys named William in 1950 and 10,545 in 2025. New South Wales shows a long dip and return: 575 boys in 1955, 172 in 1975 and 763 in 2007. Victoria listed 574 in 2008. Ireland counted 1,000 boys in 1965 and 81 in 2025. The double L counts twice in the working, 3 each.
How William adds up
William has 7 letters. Their Pythagorean values add up to 34 and their Chaldean values to 19.
Pythagorean
Vowels are underlined. Consonants are plain. Each letter shows its value below.
- W5Consonant
- I9Vowel
- L3Consonant
- L3Consonant
- I9Vowel
- A1Vowel
- M4Consonant
Subtotal 34
The first letter is W, worth 5.
Expression number
Also called the Destiny number
7
Sum 34, reduced to 7
Soul Urge number
Also called the Heart's Desire number
1
Sum 19, reduced to 1
Personality number
6
Sum 15, reduced to 6
Chaldean
- W6Consonant
- I1Vowel
- L3Consonant
- L3Consonant
- I1Vowel
- A1Vowel
- M4Consonant
Subtotal 19
The first letter is W, worth 6.
Expression number
1
Sum 19, reduced to 1
Soul Urge number
3
Sum 3
Personality number
7
Sum 16, reduced to 7
Counting Y and W as vowels, as some writers do, changes nothing for this name.
Spellings and related forms
| Spelling | Pythagorean | Chaldean |
|---|---|---|
| William | 7 | 1 |
| Bill | 8 | 9 |
| Guillaume | 11 | 5 |
| Guillem | 7 | 7 |
| Guillermo | 4 | 7 |
| Liam | 8 | 9 |
| Will | 2 | 4 |
| Williams | 8 | 4 |
Related forms come from Wikidata.
Where William is used
- United States Births, boys
- Other counts, each against its peak
| Where | Latest year | Count | Rank | Peak year in these data |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States Births, boys | 2025 | 10,545 | 9 | 1947 |
| United States Births, girls | 2025 | 7 | 11932 | 1928 |
| England and Wales Births, boys | 2025 | 1,456 | 25 | 1999 |
| Scotland Births, boys | 2025 | 80 | 52 | 1974 |
| Northern Ireland Births, boys | 2025 | 38 | 59 | 1997 |
| Canada Births, boys | 2025 | 1,285 | 5 | 2009 |
| Canada Births, girls | 2025 | fewer than 5 | 1991 | |
| New South Wales, Australia Births, boys | 2025 | 290 | 11 | 2007 |
| Victoria, Australia Births, boys | 2025 | 286 | 10 | 2008 |
| Ireland Births, boys | 2025 | 81 | 73 | 1965 |
| Puerto Rico Births, boys | 2025 | 7 | 208 | 1998 |
| Chile Births, boys | 2021 | 70 | 179 | 1973 |
| Spain Residents, men | 2025 | 2,928 | 631 | |
A rank is the place among names of the same sex in that source and year.
Before 1990 the data keeps every fifth year and the peak year.
Counts: SSA, ONS, NRS, NISRA, StatCan, NSW BDM, BDM Victoria, CSO, Registro Civil, INE. Sources and licenses
What numerology reads in these numbers
Expression number
7
In numerology, the Expression 7 is the researcher's number, tied to analysis, expertise and questions others stopped asking.
Soul Urge number
1
A Soul Urge of 1 is, in numerology, the wish to steer: to pick the road, set the pace and answer for the result.
Personality number
6
Warmth is what a Personality 6 shows first, numerologists say: the face strangers trust with a crying child or a lost wallet.
Try a full name in the AstroJane name numerology calculator
Numbers worked out by code from the calculator's letter tables, every sum shown; counts from national statistics offices and registries. Numerology has no scientific evidence.
Last reviewed: November 8, 2026