Origin | English |
Synonyms | Wilhelm, Uilliam, Liam, Ville, Uilles, Viliam |
Diminutive | Wil, Will, Willie, Willy, Bill, Billie, Billy, Liam |
The name William is an English version of the German name Wilhelm. The name Wilhelm was created from two old Germanic words “willio” (will, determination) and “helm” (helmet, protection), that’s why it means “determined protector” or is sometimes translated as “strong-willed”.
This name came to England with the Norman conquest in the XI century, and this was the name of the first Norman king of England, William the Conqueror. Today, William is one of the most popular names in the English-speaking countries. In 1990 the name William was the fifth popular name in the USA. The short forms Liam and Bill became independent.
From childhood, William is an emotional and sensitive boy who really needs people’s attention. He feels the need to be loved and praised, he craves to be loved and to be the best for everyone. As he grows up, William’s character becomes more and more difficult. The boy, especially the one born in winter, becomes brave, honest, and determined, and people begin to take his hot temper for granted. He can easily get angry, but he doesn’t hold grudges.
William born in summer is more compliant while an “autumn” William has the best male qualities, such as bravery, determination, and initiative. At the same time, he is well-mannered with ladies and never allows to be manipulated.
William doesn’t like leaving his home for a long time, so he shouldn’t choose professions involving business trips and travelling. A man with this name will find manual work suitable for him. These men can also make good managers. William is reliable, honest, and determined, he has an eye for people.
As for his family life, William is a good family man. If William is born in summer, his first marriage often ends in a divorce as he gets married at the urging of his partner. An “autumn” William is more serious in the choice of a wife. He usually gets married only once. A “spring” William gets married late, searching for a perfect partner. When this man starts a close-knit family, he may have some brief extradyadic involvement, but he doesn’t consider it infidelity.
William is very attached to his family, he loves his children and wants them to get a good education. His home is his castle where he can have a rest from hard working days. William can be keen on chess, collecting stamps, or woodcarving.
William is a sociable and hospitable man. As a rule, he has lots of buddies. A “spring” William may be indecisive in his relationships with other people, but in fact it’s just excessive caution and foresight. A “winter” William makes a great friend. He can be too hot-tempered, but it doesn’t affect his relationships with his close ones. In general, William, no matter what month he was born in, is a kind and sympathetic person who understands people very well.
Famous people named William
- Willam Bart Belli (born in 1982) – an American actor, transvestite and recording artist, known as Willam.
- William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616) – an English poet and playwright, often considered the greatest English-language writer and one of the best playwrights in the world. Often referred to as the national poet of England. Works that have reached us, including some written in collaboration with other authors. Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into all main languages and are more often posed than the works of other playwrights, Shakespeare’s works remain popular today, they are constantly studied and rethought in accordance with political and cultural conditions.
- William Hill (1827 - 1889) – an English architect, designed churches.
- William Lawson (born in 1987) – a former Scottish speedway driver.
- William Blake (1757 - 1827) – an English poet, artist and engraver. Almost unrecognized during his lifetime, Blake is now considered an important figure in the history of poetry and fine art of the romantic era.
- William Morris (1834 - 1896) – an English poet, prose writer, publisher. Utopian socialist, decorative artist. Founder of the Arts and Crafts movement.
- William I the Conqueror (1027 - 1087) – a Duke of Normandy since 1035 under the name William II and King of England since 1066, organizer and leader of the Norman Conquest of England, one of the greatest political figures in Europe of the XI century. William's accession to the throne had huge consequences for the development of England.He founded the united Kingdom of England, approved the laws and the system for its management, created an army and navy, conducted the first land census (“The Domesday Book”), began to build stone fortresses (the Tower became the first in 1078). The English language was enriched with many hundreds of French words, but for 3 centuries it was considered a "vernacular" and was not used among the nobility.
- William Shatner (born in 1931) – a Canadian actor and writer who became famous all over the world thanks to his role as James Tiberius Kirk, captain of the starship Enterprise, in the series Star Trek (1966-1969), Star Trek (animated) and seven subsequent feature films “Star Trek.” Shetner wrote a series of books where he talked about how he played the role of his hero Captain Kirk and what happened on the set of the epic Star Trek, and also co-authored several novels that entered Star Trek universe. He wrote the series of science fiction novels called War Tech, which were written for television scripts, from 2004 to 2008 he played the role of lawyer Denny Crane in the television drama Boston Lawyers, for which he received an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award ".
- Sir William Wallace (1270 - 1305) – a Scottish knight, one of the military leaders in the war for independence from England. Guardian of Scotland (regent) in 1297-1298. He is revered in Scotland as a patriot and folk hero.
- William Henry Harrison (1773 - 1841) – an American military commander, politician and ninth president of the USA.
- Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (born in 1982, the real name is William Arthur Philip Louis) – Duke of Cambridge, Earl of Stratern and Baron Carrickfergus; eldest son of Prince of Wales Charles and his first wife, Princess Diana, grandson of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. Second in succession to the British throne.
- William S. Burroughs (1914 - 1997, the real name is William Seward Burroughs II) – an American writer and essayist. One of the key American authors of the second half of the 20th century. He is considered the most important representative of the bit generation (along with Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac). The authorship of the writer belongs to about two dozen novels and more than ten collections of small prose. His work has had a significant impact on contemporary pop culture, especially literature and music.
- Bill Gates (born in 1955, the real name is William Henry Gates III) – an American entrepreneur and social activist, philanthropist, one of the founders (together with Paul Allen) and former largest shareholder of Microsoft. Bill Gates is one of the champions in the amount of funds donated to charity.
- William Faulkner (1897 - 1962) – an American writer, 1949 Nobel Prize in Literature.
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