George vs William
George 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 2023, George was ranked #364 and William #5 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #6 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #24 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
George and William over time
George and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 322 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, George in 0.
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, George 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 Northern Ireland · Boys, George moved into the top 50 at #49 in 2018 as William fell out of it to #60, having been #50 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2018, George moved ahead of William in New Zealand · Boys — #7 and #4 the year before became #6 and #7.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
George and William changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 2025, ending at #24 and #11.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and William averaged 8.0 places apart, ending at #6 and #27.
- Longest-running competitions
George and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 74 years, from 1952 to 2025, ending at #24 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — George #52 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys74 shared years, 1952–2025
George held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 67.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, William #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #24, William #11.
New Zealand · Boys70 shared years, 1954–2023
George held the stronger position in 6 of those years, William in 64.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, William #3 in 2008.
The order changed in 2018: George moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #7 and #4; by 2018 that had become #6 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, William #14.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 62.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, William #73.
Norway · Boys59 shared years, 1946–2023
George held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 56.
Highest recorded here: George #253 in 1968, William #1 in 2013.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, William #5.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 13 of those years, William in 16.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 21.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, William #26 in 1997.
The order changed in 2018: George moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #58 and #50; by 2018 that had become #49 and #60.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, 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 | George | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Greek | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /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 #24 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- George is recorded with a Greek origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- George and William both have 2 syllables.
- George'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
George
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 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