Jeffrey vs William
Jeffrey 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 1984, Jeffrey was ranked #97 and William #16 among boys in New Zealand.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 1997, Jeffrey was ranked #248 and William #26 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jeffrey was ranked #1595 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1986, Jeffrey was ranked #84 and William #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Jeffrey was ranked #770 and William #66 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Jeffrey and William over time
Jeffrey and William appear together in 4 published lists, across 146 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Jeffrey in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Jeffrey 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 35 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Jeffrey and William averaged 19.7 places apart, ending at #84 and #31.
- Longest-running competitions
Jeffrey and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 35 years, from 1952 to 1986, ending at #84 and #31.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Jeffrey #48 in 1956, William #11 in 1954.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys57 shared years, 1964–2023
Jeffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 57.
Highest recorded here: Jeffrey #120 in 1976, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jeffrey #770, William #66.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys35 shared years, 1952–1986
Jeffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 35.
Highest recorded here: Jeffrey #30 in 1962, William #12 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1986: Jeffrey #84, William #31.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jeffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jeffrey #476 in 1997, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jeffrey #1595, William #27.
New Zealand · Boys25 shared years, 1954–1984
Jeffrey held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 25.
Highest recorded here: Jeffrey #48 in 1956, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1984: Jeffrey #97, William #16.
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 | Jeffrey | 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 | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #1595 (2024) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 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)); Jeffrey does not have one recorded yet.
- Jeffrey and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Jeffrey doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Jeffrey
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #39 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 recorded1952–1986
Highest recorded position: #30 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1962 (recorded 1952–1986).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #1595 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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