Rodney vs William
Rodney 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Rodney was ranked #2671 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1974, Rodney was ranked #99 and William #34 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1983, Rodney was ranked #87 and William #36 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 1995, Rodney was ranked #301 and William #38 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Rodney and William over time
Rodney and William appear together in 4 published lists, across 100 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Rodney 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, Rodney 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
Rodney and William changed places 4 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1952 and 1983, ending at #87 and #36.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 32 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Rodney and William averaged 16.0 places apart, ending at #87 and #36.
- Longest-running competitions
Rodney and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 32 years, from 1952 to 1983, ending at #87 and #36.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys32 shared years, 1952–1983
Rodney held the stronger position in 14 of those years, William in 18.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #17 in 1966, William #12 in 1952.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1983: Rodney #87, William #36.
England and Wales · Boys27 shared years, 1996–2024
Rodney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 27.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #1055 in 1998, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Rodney #2671, William #27.
Republic of Ireland · Boys21 shared years, 1964–1995
Rodney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 21.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #135 in 1972, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1995: Rodney #301, William #38.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 1954–1974
Rodney held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 20.
Highest recorded here: Rodney #42 in 1967, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1974: Rodney #99, William #34.
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 | Rodney | 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, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | England and Wales · Boys #2671 (2024) | 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)); Rodney does not have one recorded yet.
- Rodney and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Rodney doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Rodney
Popularity journey
First recorded1952
First recorded at #38 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1952 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1952–1983
Highest recorded position: #17 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1966 (recorded 1952–1983).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2671 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
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 #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys