Glen vs William
Glen 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, Glen was ranked #86 and William #21 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Glen was ranked #3688 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2008, Glen was ranked #378 and William #30 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1986, Glen was ranked #91 and William #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 1998, Glen was ranked #558 and William #53 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Glen was ranked #307 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Glen was ranked #676 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Glen and William over time
Glen and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 179 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Glen in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Glen reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, William in 2. 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
Glen and William changed places 6 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1986, ending at #91 and #31.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 34 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Glen and William averaged 23.9 places apart, ending at #91 and #31.
- Longest-running competitions
Glen and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1952 to 1986, ending at #91 and #31.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Glen #129 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1964–2025
Glen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 57.
Highest recorded here: Glen #83 in 1993, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Glen #676, William #73.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1952–1986
Glen held the stronger position in 4 of those years, William in 30.
Highest recorded here: Glen #32 in 1963, William #12 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Glen #91, William #31.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Glen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Glen #281 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Glen #3688, William #27.
Norway · Boys24 shared years, 1962–1998
Glen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 24.
Highest recorded here: Glen #331 in 1982, William #53 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1998: Glen #558, William #53.
New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 1963–1985
Glen held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 21.
Highest recorded here: Glen #29 in 1975, William #16 in 1984.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1985: Glen #86, William #21.
Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 1997–2008
Glen held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 12.
Highest recorded here: Glen #129 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2008: Glen #378, William #30.
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 | Glen | 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 | Not yet recorded | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- William has a recorded origin (Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)); Glen does not have one recorded yet.
- Glen has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Glen doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Glen
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #92 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 recorded1963–1985
Highest recorded position: #29 among boys in New Zealand, in 1975 (recorded 1963–1985).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #676 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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