Namewise

Hamish vs William

Hamish 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 South Wales, Australia · Boys

    In 2022, Hamish was ranked #83 and William #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.

  • New Zealand · Boys

    In 2009, Hamish was ranked #72 and William #5 among boys in New Zealand.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2025, Hamish was ranked #484 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2019, Hamish was ranked #402 and William #50 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Hamish was ranked #395 and William #58 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Hamish was ranked #69 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

Hamish and William over time

Hamish and William appear together in 3 published lists, across 97 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Hamish in 0.

In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.

Hamish reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, William 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.

  • Closest over the longest run

    Across 45 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Hamish and William averaged 29.5 places apart, ending at #72 and #5.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Hamish and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 30 years, from 1996 to 2025, ending at #484 and #25.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in New South Wales, Australia · Boys within 2 years — Hamish #60 in 2010, William #1 in 2009.

List by list

  • New Zealand · Boys45 shared years, 1964–2009

    Hamish held the stronger position in 1 of those years, William in 44.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #27 in 1999, William #3 in 2008.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2009: Hamish #72, William #5.

  • England and Wales · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025

    Hamish held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 30.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #222 in 1998, William #7 in 2006.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Hamish #484, William #25.

  • New South Wales, Australia · Boys22 shared years, 1997–2022

    Hamish held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 22.

    Highest recorded here: Hamish #60 in 2010, William #1 in 2009.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2022: Hamish #83, William #4.

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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Hamish

Pairs where Hamish shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving William

Pairs where William shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — peaked in the same years.

All peaked in the same years→

Other pairs from New South Wales, Australia lists

Pairs measured inside New South Wales, Australia's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

New South Wales, Australia overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Hamish, William
FieldHamishWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningShares the meaning of James: commonly interpreted as 'supplanter' (Hebrew, via James/Jacob).Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginScottish GaelicGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈheɪmɪʃ//ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesSeumas, JamesNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationScotland #25 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Hamish is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Hamish and William both have 2 syllables.
  • Hamish'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.
  • The available evidence gives Hamish a "high" Data Confidence level and William a "medium" level — this reflects how complete and corroborated the underlying evidence is, not a judgement of either name.

How each name got here

Hamish

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1964

    First recorded at #95 among boys in New Zealand in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    New Zealand · Boys

  2. Highest recorded2014–2025

    Highest recorded position: #25 in Scotland, in 2025 (recorded 2014–2025).

    Scotland

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #484 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys

William

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.

    England and Wales · Boys