Philip vs William
Philip 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, Philip was ranked #91 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Philip was ranked #95 and William #16 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #461 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1988, Philip was ranked #98 and William #31 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Philip was ranked #619 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Philip was ranked #311 and William #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Philip was ranked #309 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Philip and William over time
Philip and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 261 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Philip in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
William reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, Philip 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.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Philip and William changed places 4 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 1992, ending at #95 and #16.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 36 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Philip and William averaged 23.7 places apart, ending at #98 and #31.
- Longest-running competitions
Philip and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 36 years, from 1952 to 1988, ending at #98 and #31.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Philip #51 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Boys70 shared years, 1948–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 67.
Highest recorded here: Philip #68 in 2013, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #91, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 62.
Highest recorded here: Philip #30 in 1978, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Philip #309, William #73.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1954–1992
Philip held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 35.
Highest recorded here: Philip #20 in 1963, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1992: Philip #95, William #16.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys36 shared years, 1952–1988
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 36.
Highest recorded here: Philip #29 in 1958, William #12 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1988: Philip #98, William #31.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Philip #103 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Philip #461, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1997–2022
Philip held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 26.
Highest recorded here: Philip #51 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Philip #311, William #67.
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 | Philip | 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 | Not yet recorded | /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 | Norway · Boys #91 (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)); Philip does not have one recorded yet.
- Philip and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Philip 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
Philip
Popularity journey
First recorded1948
First recorded at #341 among boys in Norway in 1948 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #20 among boys in New Zealand, in 1963 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #91 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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