Geoffrey vs William
Geoffrey 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 Zealand · Boys
In 1985, Geoffrey was ranked #98 and William #21 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Geoffrey was ranked #2440 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1997, Geoffrey was ranked #271 and William #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1987, Geoffrey was ranked #97 and William #32 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Geoffrey was ranked #779 and William #67 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Geoffrey and William over time
Geoffrey and William appear together in 4 published lists, across 138 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Geoffrey in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Geoffrey 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Geoffrey and William changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1987, ending at #97 and #32.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 33 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Geoffrey and William averaged 13.1 places apart, ending at #97 and #32.
- Longest-running competitions
Geoffrey and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #2440 and #25.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Geoffrey #15 in 1952, William #12 in 1952.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys46 shared years, 1964–2022
Geoffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 46.
Highest recorded here: Geoffrey #109 in 1969, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Geoffrey #779, William #67.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1952–1987
Geoffrey held the stronger position in 8 of those years, William in 25.
Highest recorded here: Geoffrey #15 in 1952, William #12 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1987: Geoffrey #97, William #32.
England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Geoffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 30.
Highest recorded here: Geoffrey #571 in 1998, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Geoffrey #2440, William #25.
New Zealand · Boys29 shared years, 1954–1985
Geoffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Geoffrey #27 in 1955, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Geoffrey #98, William #21.
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 | Geoffrey | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2440 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 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)); Geoffrey does not have one recorded yet.
- Geoffrey and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Geoffrey doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Geoffrey
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #15 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 recorded1952–1987
Highest recorded position: #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–1987).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #2440 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
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 #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys