Bradley vs William
Bradley and Williamcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2003, Bradley was ranked #76 and William #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2005, Bradley was ranked #98 and William #8 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #364 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #404 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Bradley was ranked #246 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Bradley was ranked #372 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Bradley and William over time
Bradley and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 169 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Bradley in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Bradley reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, William in 2. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Bradley and William changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1956 and 2003, ending at #76 and #5.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 48 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Bradley and William averaged 18.7 places apart, ending at #76 and #5.
- Longest-running competitions
Bradley and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 48 years, from 1956 to 2003, ending at #76 and #5.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Bradley #68 in 1998, William #26 in 1997.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1996 they stood at #31 and #21 in England and Wales · Boys, 10 places apart; by 2024 they were #364 and #27.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys48 shared years, 1956–2003
Bradley held the stronger position in 22 of those years, William in 26.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #19 in 1976, William #5 in 2003.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Bradley #76, William #5.
Republic of Ireland · Boys33 shared years, 1987–2025
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 33.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #130 in 2015, William #23 in 1987.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Bradley #372, William #73.
New Zealand · Boys32 shared years, 1973–2005
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 32.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1998, William #8 in 2005.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2005: Bradley #98, William #8.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #28 in 1997, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #364, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1997–2024
Bradley held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 27.
Highest recorded here: Bradley #68 in 1998, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Bradley #404, William #64.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Bradley | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #372 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- William has a recorded origin (Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)); Bradley does not have one recorded yet.
- Bradley and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Bradley doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Bradley
Popularity journey
First recorded1956
First recorded at #83 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1956 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1956–2003
Highest recorded position: #19 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1976 (recorded 1956–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #372 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
William
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #277 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys