Nigel vs William
Nigel 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 1983, Nigel was ranked #76 and William #24 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2025, Nigel was ranked #3684 and William #25 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2000, Nigel was ranked #277 and William #27 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1979, Nigel was ranked #99 and William #46 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Nigel was ranked #676 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Nigel and William over time
Nigel and William appear together in 4 published lists, across 118 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Nigel 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, Nigel 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 30 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Nigel and William averaged 26.7 places apart, ending at #76 and #24.
- Longest-running competitions
Nigel and William were both ranked in New Zealand · Boys for 30 years, from 1954 to 1983, ending at #76 and #24.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys48 shared years, 1964–2025
Nigel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 48.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #67 in 1975, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nigel #676, William #73.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1954–1983
Nigel held the stronger position in 2 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #27 in 1969, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Nigel #76, William #24.
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2025
Nigel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 27.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #552 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Nigel #3684, William #25.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys13 shared years, 1966–1979
Nigel held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 13.
Highest recorded here: Nigel #69 in 1972, William #30 in 1966.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1979: Nigel #99, William #46.
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 | Nigel | 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 | Republic of Ireland · Boys #676 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 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)); Nigel does not have one recorded yet.
- Nigel and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Nigel 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
Nigel
Popularity journey
First recorded1954
First recorded at #72 among boys in New Zealand in 1954 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1983
Highest recorded position: #27 among boys in New Zealand, in 1969 (recorded 1954–1983).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3684 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
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 #25 among boys in England and Wales, in 2025.
England and Wales · Boys