Willem
- Gender
- Boy
- Say it
- WIL-em
- Origin
- Germanic
- UK rank, 2025
- #3,329 for boys
- US rank, 2025
- #2,572 for boys
Willem is a boys' name of Germanic origin, meaning “will + helmet, protection”. In 2025 it ranked 3,329th for boys in the UK (6 babies) and 2,572nd for boys in the US (51 babies).
What does Willem mean?
Germanic: Dutch form of William
“will + helmet, protection”
The Dutch form of William, borne by William the Silent, Prince of Orange (1533-1584), leader of the Dutch Revolt.
Is Willem a girl's or a boy's name?
Willem is a boys' name. In 2025, it was given to 6 boys in the UK and 51 boys in the US. Too few girls were given it to be listed.
How popular is Willem in the UK?
- Rank in 2025
- #3,329among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 6about 1 in 50,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Fallingdown 47% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 6 boys in the UK were named Willem, making it the 3,329th most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,359th. Its busiest year was 2008, with 35 boys.
2025 had the fewest boys named Willem since the records began in 1996.
Half of all the boys named Willem in the UK since 1996 were born between 2003 and 2013. It was already well used in 1996, when the records begin, so earlier boys aren't counted.
Among boys in 2025, it was 3,239th in England and Wales.
Willem in the UK, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6 | #3,329 |
| 2024 | 7 | #3,003 |
| 2023 | 7 | #2,965 |
| 2022 | 9 | #2,457 |
| 2021 | 9 | #2,434 |
| 2020 | 9 | #2,359 |
| 2019 | 13 | #1,858 |
| 2018 | 16 | #1,638 |
| 2017 | 9 | #2,461 |
| 2016 | 16 | #1,655 |
| 2015 | 19 | #1,416 |
| 2014 | 15 | #1,650 |
| 2013 | 16 | #1,560 |
| 2012 | 20 | #1,342 |
| 2011 | 23 | #1,203 |
| 2010 | 24 | #1,170 |
| 2009 | 29 | #1,008 |
| 2008 | 35 | #872 |
| 2007 | 34 | #858 |
| 2006 | 24 | #1,034 |
| 2005 | 27 | #917 |
| 2004 | 24 | #954 |
| 2003 | 25 | #880 |
| 2002 | 19 | #988 |
| 2001 | 18 | #978 |
| 2000 | 13 | #1,165 |
| 1999 | 22 | #807 |
| 1998 | 23 | #778 |
| 1997 | 23 | #760 |
| 1996 | 12 | #1,146 |
How popular is Willem in the US?
- Rank in 2025
- #2,572among boys
- Babies in 2025
- 51about 1 in 33,000 boys
- Five-year trend
- Steadydown 23% in five years
- Same name in a class
- under 1%chance among 15 boys
In 2025, 51 boys in the US were named Willem, making it the 2,572nd most popular name for boys. Five years earlier, in 2020, it was 2,263rd. Its busiest year was 2003, with 122 boys. It first appears in the records in 1916.
Half of all the boys named Willem in the US since 1880 were born between 1999 and 2014, the years shaded on the chart below.
In 2025, 56 boys in the US were given Willem or a name that sounds the same. With every name's spellings counted this way, that ranks #2,060, up from #2,572 for this spelling alone.
- Willem 51
- Willam 5
Willem in the US, year by year
| Year | Boys | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | #2,572 |
| 2024 | 50 | #2,637 |
| 2023 | 51 | #2,574 |
| 2022 | 54 | #2,516 |
| 2021 | 75 | #1,981 |
| 2020 | 60 | #2,263 |
| 2019 | 76 | #1,937 |
| 2018 | 62 | #2,209 |
| 2017 | 56 | #2,318 |
| 2016 | 70 | #2,028 |
| 2015 | 67 | #2,086 |
| 2014 | 87 | #1,730 |
| 2013 | 86 | #1,708 |
| 2012 | 82 | #1,798 |
| 2011 | 74 | #1,885 |
| 2010 | 83 | #1,777 |
| 2009 | 71 | #1,974 |
| 2008 | 98 | #1,603 |
| 2007 | 105 | #1,509 |
| 2006 | 103 | #1,479 |
| 2005 | 107 | #1,389 |
| 2004 | 112 | #1,314 |
| 2003 | 122 | #1,204 |
| 2002 | 109 | #1,241 |
| 2001 | 79 | #1,523 |
| 2000 | 96 | #1,331 |
| 1999 | 75 | #1,500 |
| 1998 | 68 | #1,555 |
| 1997 | 53 | #1,787 |
| 1996 | 46 | #1,929 |
| 1995 | 35 | #2,248 |
| 1994 | 44 | #1,889 |
| 1993 | 40 | #2,002 |
| 1992 | 30 | #2,407 |
| 1991 | 25 | #2,677 |
| 1990 | 27 | #2,483 |
| 1989 | 32 | #2,148 |
| 1988 | 11 | #4,157 |
| 1987 | 7 | #5,453 |
| 1986 | 7 | #5,327 |
| 1985 | 8 | #4,693 |
| 1984 | 10 | #3,922 |
| 1983 | 7 | #4,904 |
| 1982 | 12 | #3,481 |
| 1981 | 10 | #3,856 |
| 1980 | 8 | #4,493 |
| 1979 | 10 | #3,808 |
| 1978 | 5 | #5,769 |
| 1977 | 7 | #4,580 |
| 1976 | 6 | #4,933 |
| 1975 | 12 | #3,076 |
| 1974 | 5 | #5,225 |
| 1973 | 0 | – |
| 1972 | 0 | – |
| 1971 | 11 | #2,971 |
| 1970 | 6 | #4,228 |
| 1969 | 9 | #3,061 |
| 1968 | 6 | #3,672 |
| 1967 | 10 | #2,610 |
| 1966 | 6 | #3,535 |
| 1965 | 5 | #3,928 |
| 1964 | 6 | #3,600 |
| 1963 | 10 | #2,672 |
| 1962 | 5 | #4,031 |
| 1961 | 6 | #3,650 |
| 1960 | 8 | #3,075 |
| 1959 | 0 | – |
| 1958 | 9 | #2,816 |
| 1957 | 8 | #3,022 |
| 1956 | 8 | #2,967 |
| 1955 | 0 | – |
| 1954 | 0 | – |
| 1953 | 0 | – |
| 1952 | 5 | #3,731 |
| 1951 | 0 | – |
| 1950 | 0 | – |
| 1949 | 0 | – |
| 1948 | 0 | – |
| 1947 | 0 | – |
| 1946 | 0 | – |
| 1945 | 0 | – |
| 1944 | 0 | – |
| 1943 | 0 | – |
| 1942 | 0 | – |
| 1941 | 5 | #3,504 |
| 1940 | 0 | – |
| 1939 | 0 | – |
| 1938 | 0 | – |
| 1937 | 0 | – |
| 1936 | 0 | – |
| 1935 | 0 | – |
| 1934 | 0 | – |
| 1933 | 0 | – |
| 1932 | 5 | #3,774 |
| 1931 | 0 | – |
| 1930 | 0 | – |
| 1929 | 0 | – |
| 1928 | 0 | – |
| 1927 | 8 | #3,150 |
| 1926 | 0 | – |
| 1925 | 0 | – |
| 1924 | 0 | – |
| 1923 | 0 | – |
| 1922 | 5 | #4,305 |
| 1921 | 5 | #4,320 |
| 1920 | 0 | – |
| 1919 | 0 | – |
| 1918 | 0 | – |
| 1917 | 0 | – |
| 1916 | 8 | #2,925 |
Nicknames for Willem
- Wim
Names like Willem
Names given in the same years and the same naming tradition, with a similar sound.
Liam Adam Ethan Jacob Nathan Dylan Callum Noah Luke Ali Mason Caleb
Other spellings of Willem
Names related to Willem
More Germanic names
Amelia Henry Charlotte Archie Charlie Emma Freddie Ella Harry Millie Albie Matilda Louie Miles Alice Myles
Sources
Figures from Baby names in England and Wales (Office for National Statistics), Babies' first names (National Records of Scotland), Baby names (Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency) and Popular Baby Names (US Social Security Administration). Nameling last updated them on 20 October 2026. How the figures are worked out, and the data to download.
To cite this page: Nameling, “Willem: name meaning, origin and popularity”, https://www.nameling.co.uk/names/willem, updated 20 October 2026.