Namewise

Cameron vs William

Cameron 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 2012, Cameron was ranked #81 and William #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2015, Cameron was ranked #89 and William #3 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Cameron was ranked #216 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Cameron was ranked #33 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Cameron was ranked #187 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Cameron was ranked #223 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2016, Cameron was ranked #2367 and William #5785 among girls in England and Wales.

Cameron and William over time

Cameron and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 189 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Cameron in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Cameron 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

    Cameron and William changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1966 and 2012, ending at #81 and #1.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 46 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Cameron and William averaged 21.0 places apart, ending at #81 and #1.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Cameron and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 46 years, from 1966 to 2012, ending at #81 and #1.

List by list

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys46 shared years, 19662012

    Cameron held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 43.

    Highest recorded here: Cameron #26 in 1992, William #1 in 2009.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2012: Cameron #81, William #1.

  • New Zealand · Boys46 shared years, 19702015

    Cameron held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 39.

    Highest recorded here: Cameron #11 in 2000, William #3 in 2008.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2015: Cameron #89, William #3.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 19692025

    Cameron held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 40.

    Highest recorded here: Cameron #86 in 2000, William #8 in 1969.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cameron #223, William #73.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 19962024

    Cameron held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Cameron #23 in 2001, William #7 in 2006.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cameron #216, William #27.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 19972024

    Cameron held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 26.

    Highest recorded here: Cameron #28 in 2002, William #26 in 1997.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cameron #187, 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

Side-by-side comparison of Cameron, William
FieldCameronWilliam
Record typeOfficial statistical record (evidence-only)Editorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningNot yet recordedCommonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginNot yet recordedGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
PronunciationNot yet recorded/ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables32
Common variants / nicknamesNot yet recordedNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationRepublic of Ireland · Boys #223 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)Not yet recorded90/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)82/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • William has a recorded origin (Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)); Cameron does not have one recorded yet.
  • Cameron has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for William.
  • A meaning is recorded for William; Cameron 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

Cameron

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1966

    First recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1966 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1970–2015

    Highest recorded position: #11 among boys in New Zealand, in 2000 (recorded 1970–2015).

    New Zealand · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #223 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.

    Republic of Ireland · Boys

William

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys