Willem
How to say it: VIL-um · /ˈvɪləm/
Dutch and German form of William, 'resolute protector' - classic in Netherlands and Belgium.
Willem was the 2,036th most popular boys’ name in the United States in 2025, given to 51 babies (Social Security Administration). Its busiest decade was the 2000s, its births are down about 22% in ten years, and it is projected to slip to #2,401 by 2030.
Updated · SSA 2025 data, published May 2026 · Insee 2025 data, published July 2026 · How we compute these figures
Key facts
| Rank among boys’ names, 2025 | #2,036 |
|---|---|
| Babies born in 2025 | 51 |
| Share of births | 1 in 65,006 |
| Peak decade | 2000s |
| Change over 10 years | −22% |
| Projected rank for 2030 (estimate) | #2,401 |
| In France, 2025 | #1,330 among boys’ names, 15 births |
Sources: Social Security Administration (SSA), Insee (France). How we compute these figures.
Its life, decade by decade
Willem peaked in the 2000s.
What goes with it
Nicknames
- Wim
- Will
- Willy
Honouring a Willem in the family
- Willpet form
- Willypet form
- Williamequivalent
- Vilhelmequivalent
- Guillermoequivalent
- Guillaumeequivalent
In the classroom
In a class of 25 children born in 2025, the chance that another child is called Willem is about under 1 in 200.
Around the world
This spelling is used in Dutch, English, French, German.
In France: #1,330 for boys in 2025.
Famous people named Willem
- Willem Barents (1550–1597)Dutch navigator, cartographer, and Arctic explorer
- Willem Einthoven (1860–1927)Dutch physiologist
- Willem Drees (1886–1988)Dutch politician
From Wikidata and Wikipedia
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