Gary vs William
Gary 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #2671 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1981, Gary was ranked #94 and William #30 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1984, Gary was ranked #88 and William #34 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #619 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Gary was ranked #352 and William #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Gary was ranked #785 and William #67 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Gary and William over time
Gary and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 165 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Gary in 0.
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.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Gary 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 New South Wales, Australia · Boys, William moved into the top 50 at #38 in 1970 as Gary fell out of it to #53, having been #38 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1970, William moved ahead of Gary in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #38 and #40 the year before became #53 and #38.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Gary and William changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1984, ending at #88 and #34.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 31 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Gary and William averaged 14.8 places apart, ending at #88 and #34.
- Longest-running competitions
Gary and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 31 years, from 1952 to 1984, ending at #88 and #34.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Gary #8 in 1952, William #12 in 1952.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys60 shared years, 1964–2024
Gary held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 58.
Highest recorded here: Gary #25 in 1991, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gary #785, William #67.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1952–1984
Gary held the stronger position in 15 of those years, William in 16.
Highest recorded here: Gary #8 in 1952, William #12 in 1952.
The order changed in 1970: William moved ahead. In 1969 they stood at #38 and #40; by 1970 that had become #53 and #38.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Gary #88, William #34.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Gary held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Gary #147 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Gary #2671, William #27.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1954–1981
Gary held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 25.
Highest recorded here: Gary #19 in 1956, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1981: Gary #94, William #30.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2022
Gary held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 20.
Highest recorded here: Gary #57 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Gary #352, William #67.
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 | Gary | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | An English surname originally a short form of Norman given names beginning with the Old German element 'ger' ('spear'). Adopted as a stage name by actor Gary Cooper, after Gary, Indiana. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Germanic (surname origin) | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɡæɹ.i/ | /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 | Scotland · Boys #619 (2024) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Gary is recorded with a Germanic (surname origin) origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Gary and William both have 2 syllables.
- Gary'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
Gary
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1984
Highest recorded position: #8 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1984).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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