Henrik vs William
Henrik 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, Henrik was ranked #16 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Henrik was ranked #2088 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Henrik was ranked #660 and William #66 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Henrik and William over time
Henrik and William appear together in 2 published lists, across 109 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.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Henrik 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2019, William moved ahead of Henrik in Norway · Boys — #3 and #6 the year before became #3 and #2.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Henrik and William changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #16 and #3.
- Longest-running competitions
Henrik and William were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #16 and #3.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Henrik held the stronger position in 63 of those years, William in 18.
Highest recorded here: Henrik #3 in 2018, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 2019: William moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #3 and #6; by 2019 that had become #3 and #2.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Henrik #16, William #3.
England and Wales · Boys28 shared years, 1996–2024
Henrik held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Henrik #1113 in 2019, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henrik #2088, 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 | Henrik | 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 | GB-ENW, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #16 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- William has a recorded origin (Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)); Henrik does not have one recorded yet.
- Henrik and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Henrik doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Henrik
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #141 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: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2018 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #16 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