Theodore vs William
Theodore 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, Theodore was ranked #3 and William #11 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Theodore was ranked #6 and William #14 among boys in New Zealand.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Theodore was ranked #8 and William #27 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Theodore was ranked #32 and William #64 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Theodore was ranked #36 and William #66 among boys in Scotland.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Theodore was ranked #44 and William #73 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Theodore and William over time
Theodore and William appear together in 5 published lists, across 95 years of shared records. William held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Theodore in 0.
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 5 of those lists, and Theodore 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 moved ahead of the other
In 2020, Theodore moved ahead of William in England and Wales · Boys — #18 and #17 the year before became #14 and #20.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Theodore held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 24.
Highest recorded here: Theodore #8 in 2022, William #7 in 2006.
The order changed in 2020: Theodore moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #18 and #17; by 2020 that had become #14 and #20.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Theodore #8, William #27.
Republic of Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1964–2025
Theodore held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 23.
Highest recorded here: Theodore #44 in 2025, William #8 in 1964.
The order changed in 2024: Theodore moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #66 and #66; by 2024 that had become #56 and #67.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Theodore #44, William #73.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 2001–2024
Theodore held the stronger position in 5 of those years, William in 12.
Highest recorded here: Theodore #32 in 2024, William #26 in 2001.
The order changed in 2020: Theodore moved ahead. In 2019 they stood at #84 and #53; by 2020 that had become #57 and #68.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Theodore #32, William #64.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys11 shared years, 2015–2025
Theodore held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 8.
Highest recorded here: Theodore #3 in 2024, William #2 in 2015.
The order changed in 2023: Theodore moved ahead. In 2022 they stood at #5 and #4; by 2023 that had become #5 and #8.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Theodore #3, William #11.
New Zealand · Boys11 shared years, 2013–2023
Theodore held the stronger position in 3 of those years, William in 8.
Highest recorded here: Theodore #6 in 2022, William #3 in 2015.
The order changed in 2021: Theodore moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #15 and #9; by 2021 that had become #8 and #9.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Theodore #6, William #14.
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 | Theodore | William |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Gift of God. | Commonly interpreted as 'resolute protector' or 'will helmet', combining the ideas of desire/will and protection. |
| Origin | Greek | Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈθiəˌdɔɹ/ | /ˈwɪljəm/ |
| Syllables | 3 | 2 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Teddy | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #3 (2025) | Norway · Boys #3 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 82/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | high | medium |
What the data shows
- Theodore is recorded with a Greek origin, while William is recorded with a Germanic (Old Frankish/Old High German Willehelm) origin.
- Theodore has 3 syllables, compared with 2 for William.
- Theodore'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, NZ.
- The available evidence gives Theodore 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
Theodore
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #214 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded2015–2025
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2024 (recorded 2015–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #3 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