Justin vs William
Justin 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 2010, Justin was ranked #90 and William #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Norway · Boys
In 2017, Justin was ranked #454 and William #4 among boys in Norway.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2004, Justin was ranked #100 and William #12 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Justin was ranked #638 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2021, Justin was ranked #295 and William #61 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Justin was ranked #727 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Justin was ranked #402 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Justin and William over time
Justin and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 214 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Justin in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Justin reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, William in 2. 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Justin and William changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1966 and 2010, ending at #90 and #1.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 44 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Justin and William averaged 29.3 places apart, ending at #90 and #1.
- Longest-running competitions
Justin and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 44 years, from 1966 to 2010, ending at #90 and #1.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Justin #299 in 2010, William #1 in 2012.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Justin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 62.
Highest recorded here: Justin #80 in 1974, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Justin #402, William #73.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys44 shared years, 1966–2010
Justin held the stronger position in 14 of those years, William in 30.
Highest recorded here: Justin #24 in 1990, William #1 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2010: Justin #90, William #1.
New Zealand · Boys33 shared years, 1968–2004
Justin held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Justin #24 in 1975, William #11 in 1998.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2004: Justin #100, William #12.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Justin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Justin #154 in 2003, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Justin #638, William #27.
Norway · Boys26 shared years, 1969–2017
Justin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 26.
Highest recorded here: Justin #299 in 2010, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Justin #454, William #4.
Northern Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 1997–2021
Justin held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 20.
Highest recorded here: Justin #103 in 2002, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Justin #295, William #61.
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 | Justin | 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #402 (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)); Justin does not have one recorded yet.
- Justin and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Justin doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Justin
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #139 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1966–2010
Highest recorded position: #24 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1990 (recorded 1966–2010).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #402 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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