Robert vs William
Robert 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 2012, Robert was ranked #80 and William #3 among boys in New Zealand.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Robert was ranked #363 and William #3 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2003, Robert was ranked #95 and William #5 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Robert was ranked #151 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Robert was ranked #93 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Robert was ranked #80 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Robert was ranked #104 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Robert and William over time
Robert and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 310 years of shared records. Robert held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, William in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Robert reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 4 of those lists, William 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.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1991, William moved ahead of Robert in New South Wales, Australia · Boys — #21 and #27 the year before became #31 and #28.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Robert and William changed places 5 times in New Zealand · Boys between 1954 and 2012, ending at #80 and #3.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 52 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Robert and William averaged 26.4 places apart, ending at #95 and #5.
- Longest-running competitions
Robert and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 52 years, from 1952 to 2003, ending at #95 and #5.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Robert #35 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
List by list
Norway · Boys81 shared years, 1945–2025
Robert held the stronger position in 51 of those years, William in 30.
Highest recorded here: Robert #25 in 1974, William #1 in 2012.
The order changed in 1996: William moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #80 and #86; by 1996 that had become #92 and #71.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Robert #363, William #3.
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Robert held the stronger position in 33 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Robert #12 in 1978, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Robert #104, William #73.
New Zealand · Boys58 shared years, 1954–2012
Robert held the stronger position in 34 of those years, William in 24.
Highest recorded here: Robert #5 in 1954, William #3 in 2008.
The order changed in 1990: William moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #15 and #17; by 1990 that had become #24 and #15.
Most recent shared year, 2012: Robert #80, William #3.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys52 shared years, 1952–2003
Robert held the stronger position in 39 of those years, William in 13.
Highest recorded here: Robert #3 in 1952, William #5 in 2003.
The order changed in 1991: William moved ahead. In 1990 they stood at #21 and #27; by 1991 that had become #31 and #28.
Most recent shared year, 2003: Robert #95, William #5.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Robert held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Robert #30 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Robert #151, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Robert held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 28.
Highest recorded here: Robert #35 in 1997, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Robert #93, William #64.
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 | Robert | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From Germanic Hrodebert, combining 'hruod' (fame) with 'beraht' (bright) — 'bright fame'. Introduced to Britain by the Normans, later borne by Robert the Bruce. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈɹɑb.əɹt/ | /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 #104 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Robert is recorded with a Germanic origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Robert and William both have 2 syllables.
- Robert'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.
How each name got here
Robert
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #126 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2003
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1952 (recorded 1952–2003).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #363 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