Hans vs William
Hans 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 2025, Hans was ranked #97 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1980, Hans was ranked #264 and William #14 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Hans was ranked #3254 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Hans and William over time
Hans and William appear together in 2 published lists, across 110 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Hans reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and William in none. 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 Norway · Boys, William moved into the top 50 at #48 in 1999 as Hans fell out of it to #54, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1999, William moved ahead of Hans in Norway · Boys — #46 and #53 the year before became #54 and #48.
- Longest-running competitions
Hans and William were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #97 and #3.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Hans #1377 in 2005, William #7 in 2006.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Hans held the stronger position in 54 of those years, William in 27.
Highest recorded here: Hans #10 in 1949, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 1999: William moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #46 and #53; by 1999 that had become #54 and #48.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hans #97, William #3.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hans held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Hans #1377 in 2005, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hans #3254, William #27.
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 | Hans | 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 | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #97 (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)); Hans does not have one recorded yet.
- Hans has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Hans doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Hans
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #11 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #10 among boys in Norway, in 1949 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #97 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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