Bill is a boy name with a classic feel, drawn from real birth records. Below you'll find what Bill means and where it comes from, plus how many babies have been named Bill across the United States, UK, Ireland and New Zealand, how popular Bill has been over the decades, and the year it peaked.
Bill is a boy name of Germanic origin meaning “resolute protector”. a short form of William.
| Country | Births on record |
|---|---|
| United States since 1880 | 161,190 births |
| England & Wales since 1996 | 362 births |
| Ireland since 1964 | 286 births |
Counts come from official national birth-registration statistics: U.S. Social Security Administration, England & Wales (Office for National Statistics), Scotland (National Records of Scotland), Northern Ireland (NISRA), Ireland (Central Statistics Office) and New Zealand (Dept. of Internal Affairs). Coverage spans differ, so totals aren't directly comparable across countries.
Babies named Bill per year, United States (1880 to 2025). United States peaked in 1947 (4,688/yr) · England & Wales peaked in 1997 (27/yr) · Ireland peaked in 2006 (14/yr).
Bill has been a fairly common baby name in the United States. It was most common in 1947, when it ranked #156 nationally (given to 4,688 babies that year), and a popular choice in the 1940s.
Billy · Bailey · Billie · Bella · Belle · Bell · Bailee · Billye
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