Henry vs William
Henry 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, Henry was ranked #50 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Henry was ranked #6 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Henry was ranked #8 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #14 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #45 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Henry was ranked #95 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Henry was ranked #76 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Henry and William over time
Henry and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 272 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Henry in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 5 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 5 of those lists, and Henry 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 2018, Henry moved ahead of William in England and Wales · Boys — #13 and #11 the year before became #13 and #14.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Henry and William changed places 7 times in Norway · Boys between 1945 and 2025, ending at #50 and #3.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Henry and William averaged 23.2 places apart, ending at #14 and #27.
- Longest-running competitions
Henry and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 31 years, from 1993 to 2025, ending at #6 and #11.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Henry #60 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Henry held the stronger position in 24 of those years, William in 57.
Highest recorded here: Henry #50 in 2025, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 1975: William moved ahead. In 1974 they stood at #286 and #365; by 1975 that had become #348 and #258.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Henry #50, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Henry held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 62.
Highest recorded here: Henry #60 in 1964, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Henry #76, William #73.
New Zealand · Boys41 shared years, 1954–2023
Henry held the stronger position in 1 of those years, William in 40.
Highest recorded here: Henry #8 in 2023, William #3 in 2008.
The order changed in 2023: Henry moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #18 and #10; by 2023 that had become #8 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Henry #8, William #14.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys31 shared years, 1993–2025
Henry held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Henry #4 in 2023, William #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2023: Henry moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #7 and #4; by 2023 that had become #4 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Henry #6, William #11.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Henry held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 22.
Highest recorded here: Henry #10 in 2021, William #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 2018: Henry moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #13 and #11; by 2018 that had become #13 and #14.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henry #14, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Henry held the stronger position in 6 of those years, William in 22.
Highest recorded here: Henry #22 in 2023, William #26 in 1997.
The order changed in 2020: Henry moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #76 and #53; by 2020 that had become #54 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Henry #45, 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 | Henry | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Home ruler, estate ruler. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Germanic, via Old French Henri | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈhɛnɹi/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Harry, Hal, Heinrich, Henri | 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 #6 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Henry is recorded with a Germanic, via Old French Henri origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Henry and William both have 2 syllables.
- Henry'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.
- The available evidence gives Henry 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
Henry
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #102 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1993–2025
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2023 (recorded 1993–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #6 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