Fredrik vs William
Fredrik 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, Fredrik was ranked #82 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Fredrik was ranked #3254 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2017, Fredrik was ranked #710 and William #54 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Fredrik and William over time
Fredrik and William appear together in 2 published lists, across 109 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 1 of the lists they share.
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 moved ahead of the other
In 2006, William moved ahead of Fredrik in Norway · Boys — #20 and #23 the year before became #23 and #21.
- Longest-running competitions
Fredrik and William were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #82 and #3.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Fredrik held the stronger position in 61 of those years, William in 20.
Highest recorded here: Fredrik #6 in 1989, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 2006: William moved ahead. In 2005 they stood at #20 and #23; by 2006 that had become #23 and #21.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Fredrik #82, William #3.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Fredrik held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Fredrik #1111 in 2020, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Fredrik #3254, William #27.
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 | Fredrik | 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 | /ˈwɪljəm/ | |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #82 (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)); Fredrik does not have one recorded yet.
- Fredrik and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Fredrik doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Fredrik
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #137 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in Norway, in 1989 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #82 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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