Steven vs William
Steven 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 2017, Steven was ranked #487 and William #4 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2000, Steven was ranked #84 and William #10 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1997, Steven was ranked #77 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Steven was ranked #800 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Steven was ranked #307 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Steven was ranked #414 and William #67 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Steven was ranked #829 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Steven and William over time
Steven and William appear together in 6 published lists, across 267 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Steven in 1.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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
Steven and William changed places 10 times in Norway · Boys between 1946 and 2017, ending at #487 and #4.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 49 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Steven and William averaged 22.3 places apart, ending at #84 and #10.
- Longest-running competitions
Steven and William were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 49 years, from 1952 to 2000, ending at #84 and #10.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Northern Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Steven #54 in 1998, William #26 in 1997.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys61 shared years, 1964–2025
Steven held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 61.
Highest recorded here: Steven #57 in 1990, William #8 in 1964.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Steven #829, William #73.
Norway · Boys60 shared years, 1946–2017
Steven held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 55.
Highest recorded here: Steven #224 in 1983, William #1 in 2012.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2017: Steven #487, William #4.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys49 shared years, 1952–2000
Steven held the stronger position in 31 of those years, William in 18.
Highest recorded here: Steven #12 in 1961, William #9 in 1999.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2000: Steven #84, William #10.
New Zealand · Boys44 shared years, 1954–1997
Steven held the stronger position in 18 of those years, William in 26.
Highest recorded here: Steven #15 in 1967, William #11 in 1954.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 1997: Steven #77, William #14.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Steven held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 29.
Highest recorded here: Steven #73 in 1996, William #7 in 2006.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Steven #800, William #27.
Northern Ireland · Boys24 shared years, 1997–2022
Steven held the stronger position in 0 of those years, William in 24.
Highest recorded here: Steven #54 in 1998, William #26 in 1997.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Steven #414, 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 | Steven | 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, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (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)); Steven does not have one recorded yet.
- Steven and William both have 2 syllables.
- A meaning is recorded for William; Steven 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
Steven
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #363 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1952–2000
Highest recorded position: #12 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 1961 (recorded 1952–2000).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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