Namewise

Cooper vs William

Cooper 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 2025, Cooper was ranked #19 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2023, Cooper was ranked #21 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Cooper was ranked #105 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2024, Cooper was ranked #125 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Cooper was ranked #121 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2025, Cooper was ranked #198 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • England and Wales · Girls

    In 2016, Cooper was ranked #2966 and William #5785 among girls in England and Wales.

Cooper and William over time

Cooper and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Cooper in 0.

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

William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, and Cooper in none. 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 28 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Cooper and William averaged 20.0 places apart, ending at #19 and #11.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Cooper #4 in 2009, William #1 in 2009.

List by list

  • England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2025

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #105 in 2025, William #7 in 2006.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cooper #105, William #25.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1998–2025

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #4 in 2009, William #1 in 2009.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cooper #19, William #11.

  • New Zealand · Boys18 shared years, 2006–2023

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #12 in 2012, William #3 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2023: Cooper #21, William #14.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 2006–2024

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #120 in 2017, William #30 in 2008.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Cooper #125, William #64.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys18 shared years, 2008–2025

    Cooper held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 18.

    Highest recorded here: Cooper #142 in 2018, William #43 in 2013.

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

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Cooper #198, William #73.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Cooper

Pairs where Cooper shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving William

Pairs where William shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Cooper, William
FieldCooperWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningAn English occupational surname meaning 'barrel maker', from Middle English 'couper'.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginEnglish (occupational surname)Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈkup.əɹ//ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables22
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 observationNew South Wales, Australia · Boys #19 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencemediummedium

What the data shows

  • Cooper is recorded with a English (occupational surname) origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Cooper and William both have 2 syllables.
  • Cooper's recorded meaning differs from William's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.

How each name got here

Cooper

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1997

    First recorded at #2022 among boys in England and Wales in 1997 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    England and Wales · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1998–2025

    Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1998–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #105 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · 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 #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys