Namewise

Magnus vs William

Magnus 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, Magnus was ranked #17 and William #3 among boys in Norway.

  • England and Wales · Boys

    In 2024, Magnus was ranked #358 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.

  • Republic of Ireland · Boys

    In 2019, Magnus was ranked #764 and William #50 among boys in Republic of Ireland.

  • Northern Ireland · Boys

    In 2023, Magnus was ranked #312 and William #58 among boys in Northern Ireland.

  • Scotland · Boys

    In 2024, Magnus was ranked #130 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.

Magnus and William over time

Magnus 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.

William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, and Magnus 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 2012, William moved ahead of Magnus in Norway · Boys — #4 and #5 the year before became #4 and #1.

  • Longest-running competitions

    Magnus and William were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 81 years, from 1945 to 2025, ending at #17 and #3.

  • Peaked in the same years

    Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Magnus #3 in 2013, William #1 in 2012.

List by list

  • Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025

    Magnus held the stronger position in 66 of those years, William in 15.

    Highest recorded here: Magnus #3 in 2013, William #1 in 2012.

    The order changed in 2012: William moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #4 and #5; by 2012 that had become #4 and #1.

    Most recent shared year, 2025: Magnus #17, William #3.

  • England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024

    Magnus held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.

    Highest recorded here: Magnus #335 in 2022, William #7 in 2006.

    The order between them never changed and held in this list.

    Most recent shared year, 2024: Magnus #358, 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.

Where to go next

Comparisons that share a name, a rule or a published list with this one. Each is an existing comparison page with its own evidence — nothing here says these pairs are alike.

Other comparisons involving Magnus

Pairs where Magnus shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other comparisons involving William

Pairs where William shares a published list with another name, each measured inside one registrar's own list.

Other pairs with the same kind of relationship

Pairs that qualify under the same rule as this one — one moved ahead of the other.

All one moved ahead of the other→

Other pairs from Norway lists

Pairs measured inside Norway's own published lists, where this pair's strongest relationship is also recorded. Positions in these lists are not comparable with another registrar's.

Norway overview→

Other pairs ranked together in the 2020s

Pairs both ranked in the same published list at some point between 2020 and 2029.

The 2020s across all registrars→

Side by side

Side-by-side comparison of Magnus, William
FieldMagnusWilliam
Record typeEditorially researched profileEditorially researched profile
Gender usagemalemale
MeaningDirectly 'great' or 'mighty' in Latin.Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection.
OriginLatinGermanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm)
Pronunciation/ˈmæɡnəs//ˈwɪljəm/
Syllables22
Common variants / nicknamesMagsNot yet recorded
Recorded regional usageGB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NOAU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ
Most recent popularity observationNorway #12 (2025)Norway · Boys #3 (2025)
Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score)90/10090/100
Spelling simplicity (demonstration score)88/10082/100
International familiarity (demonstration score)100/100100/100
Data Confidencehighmedium

What the data shows

  • Magnus is recorded with a Latin origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
  • Magnus and William both have 2 syllables.
  • Magnus's recorded meaning differs from William's — see the table above for each.
  • Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
  • The available evidence gives Magnus 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

Magnus

Popularity journey

  1. First recorded1945

    First recorded at #125 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.

    Norway · Boys

  2. Highest recorded1945–2025

    Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in Norway, in 2013 (recorded 1945–2025).

    Norway · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #12 in Norway, in 2025.

    Norway

William

Popularity journey

  1. 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

  2. Highest recorded1952–2025

    Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2009 (recorded 1952–2025).

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys

  3. Most recent2025

    Most recently recorded at #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.

    New South Wales, Australia · Boys