Ethan vs William
Ethan 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Ethan was ranked #315 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Ethan was ranked #49 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Ethan was ranked #24 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #48 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Ethan was ranked #51 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #54 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ethan was ranked #57 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Ethan and William over time
Ethan and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 163 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ethan in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Ethan in 1. 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ethan moved into the top 50 at #45 in 2009 as William fell out of it to #55, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2000, Ethan moved ahead of William in Northern Ireland · Boys — #34 and #29 the year before became #19 and #27.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Ethan and William changed places 5 times in Republic of Ireland · Boys between 1989 and 2025, ending at #51 and #73.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Ethan and William averaged 15.2 places apart, ending at #48 and #27.
- Mirrored each other
Over 37 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Ethan rose about as far as William fell — from #208 and #33 in 1989 to #51 and #73 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
Ethan and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1991 to 2025, ending at #49 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Ethan #4 in 2011, William #1 in 2009.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys37 shared years, 1989–2025
Ethan held the stronger position in 21 of those years, William in 16.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #30 in 2012, William #23 in 1990.
The order changed in 2009: Ethan moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #53 and #46; by 2009 that had become #45 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ethan #51, William #73.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1991–2025
Ethan held the stronger position in 1 of those years, William in 34.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #4 in 2011, William #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ethan #49, William #11.
New Zealand · Boys34 shared years, 1990–2023
Ethan held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #5 in 2002, William #3 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Ethan #24, William #14.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ethan held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #11 in 2011, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ethan #48, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Ethan held the stronger position in 25 of those years, William in 3.
Highest recorded here: Ethan #4 in 2011, William #26 in 1997.
The order changed in 2000: Ethan moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #34 and #29; by 2000 that had become #19 and #27.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ethan #57, 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 | Ethan | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with qualities like 'solid, enduring, firm'. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈiːθən/ | /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, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #49 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Ethan is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Ethan and William both have 2 syllables.
- Ethan'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, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Ethan
Popularity journey
First recorded1989
First recorded at #208 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1989 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1991–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1991–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · 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