Noah vs William
Noah 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 2025, Noah was ranked #1 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Noah was ranked #1 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Noah was ranked #1 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Noah was ranked #1 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Noah was ranked #2 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Noah was ranked #3 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Noah was ranked #3 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
England and Wales · Girls
In 2016, Noah was ranked #4096 and William #5785 among girls in England and Wales.
Noah and William over time
Noah and William appear together in 7 published lists, across 215 years of shared records. Noah held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, William in 3.
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 6 of those lists, and Noah 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 took the other's place near the top
In Republic of Ireland · Boys, Noah moved into the top 50 at #41 in 2009 as William fell out of it to #55, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2015, Noah moved ahead of William in England and Wales · Boys — #11 and #10 the year before became #7 and #8.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Noah and William changed places 5 times in Norway · Boys between 1990 and 2025, ending at #1 and #3.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 56 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Noah and William averaged 38.6 places apart, ending at #2 and #27.
- Mirrored each other
Over 27 shared years in Northern Ireland · Boys, Noah rose about as far as William fell — from #272 and #31 in 1998 to #3 and #64 in 2024.
- Longest-running competitions
Noah and William were both ranked in England and Wales · Boys for 56 years, from 1996 to 2024, ending at #2 and #27.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Scotland · Boys within 2 years — Noah #1 in 2024, William #66 in 2024.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys56 shared years, 1996–2024
Noah held the stronger position in 37 of those years, William in 19.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2021, William #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 2015: Noah moved ahead. In 2014 they stood at #11 and #10; by 2015 that had become #7 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Noah #2, William #27.
Norway · Boys33 shared years, 1990–2025
Noah held the stronger position in 10 of those years, William in 23.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2021, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Noah #1, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1996–2025
Noah held the stronger position in 18 of those years, William in 11.
Highest recorded here: Noah #2 in 2021, William #36 in 1996.
The order changed in 2009: Noah moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #46 and #46; by 2009 that had become #41 and #55.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Noah #3, William #73.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys28 shared years, 1998–2025
Noah held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 21.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2022, William #1 in 2009.
The order changed in 2019: Noah moved ahead. In 2018 they stood at #3 and #2; by 2019 that had become #2 and #3.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Noah #1, William #11.
Northern Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1998–2024
Noah held the stronger position in 16 of those years, William in 11.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2018, William #26 in 2001.
The order changed in 2009: Noah moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #42 and #30; by 2009 that had become #30 and #40.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Noah #3, William #64.
New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 2001–2023
Noah held the stronger position in 7 of those years, William in 16.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2023, William #3 in 2008.
The order changed in 2017: Noah moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #7 and #3; by 2017 that had become #3 and #4.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Noah #1, William #14.
Scotland · Boys18 shared years, 2024–2024
Noah held the stronger position in 18 of those years, William in 0.
Highest recorded here: Noah #1 in 2024, William #66 in 2024.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Noah #1, William #66.
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 | Noah | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'rest' or 'comfort'. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Hebrew | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈnoʊə/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Noa, Noé | 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 #1 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Noah is recorded with a Hebrew origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Noah has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for William.
- Noah'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 Noah 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
Noah
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #640 among boys in Norway in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in England and Wales, in 2021 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #1 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