Bill
Meaning: Its source is wil helm, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Determined protector."
Origin: "wil helm."
Languages: This boy's name is used in English.
Nickname For: William
Alternative Spellings: Byll
Popularity: The name Bill ranked 159th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
This name is highly rated in the 1990 U.S. Census popularity survey of all ages, but after 1960 does not appear in the state data listing the most popular baby names.
Narrative: When William the Conqueror led his army to victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, he not only captured England for himself and his barons, he captured it for a host of French names. Robert, Roger and Richard were numbered among the victors that day, but none were so triumphant as the name of the Conqueror himself.
William has remained a royal name in the United Kingdom for nearly one thousand years. If the current Prince William ascends the throne with that name, he will rule as William V.
Additionally, William figures prominently among nature's nobility, those who have achieved fame due to their skill. Poets Shakespeare, Blake and Wordsworth, three U.S. Presidents, novelists, scientists, and many star actors have added their personal luster to this royal name.
Arts and Music
- Bill Brandt
- A member of the International Photography Hall of Fame (see list of International Photography Hall of Fame)
- Bill Evans (born 1929, died 1980)
American jazz musician.
- Pianist and composer (see list of Critics' Picks for the Jazz Hall of Fame)
- Bill Haley (born 1925, died 1981)
American singer and musician best known for the song ''Rock Around the Clock.''
- Made his television debut on ''''American Bandstand'''' (see list of Musicians Who Debuted on ''American Bandstand'')
- ''Bill Bailey, Wont You Please Come Home?''
- Words and music by Hughie Cannon (see list of Names in Song titles)
- Bill Kreutzmann (born 1946)
American musician.
- Performer with The Grateful Dead at Woodstock (see list of Performers at Woodstock)
- Bill Mauldin (born 1921)
American cartoonist.
- Depicted GI life in World War II (see list of Cartoonists)
- Bill Monroe (born 1911, died 1996)
American mandolin player and singer; considered the father of bluegrass music.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
- Bill Watterson (born 1958)
American cartoonist.
- Calvin and Hobbes (see list of Cartoonists)
Leadership
- William Jefferson ''Bill'' Clinton (born 1946)
Forty-second President of the U.S.
- U.S. President, 1993- 2001 (see list of Presidents of the United States)
- William H. ''Bill'' Gates III (born 1955)
Co-founder of the Microsoft Corporation.
- Innovator in the software industry (see list of Twenty innovators who changed the 20th century)
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Microsoft (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Bill M. Lindig
- CEO of Fortune 500 company SYSCO (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- Bill Richardson
American statesman.
- U.S. representative to the United Nations, 1997-1998 (see list of U.S. Representatives to the United Nations)
- William (Bill) Griffith Wilson (born 1895, died 1971)
American social reformer
- Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous (see list of Twenty people who articulate the longings of the last 100 years, exemplifying courage, selflessness, exuberance, superhuman ability and amazing grace)
Miscellaneous
- Bill Berry
Member of the band R.E.M.
- 1996 gross earnings for R.E.M.: $20 million (see list of Top-paid Stars)
- Bill Blass
Designer
- 1999 gross earnings: $50 million (see list of Top-paid Stars)
- William Jefferson ''Bill'' Clinton (born 1946)
Forty-second President of the U.S.
- 1992, 1998 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- Bill Cosby (born 1937)
American actor and comedian.
- 1996 gross earnings: $18 million (see list of Top-paid Stars)
- 1985 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- 1997 gross earnings: $18 million (see list of Top-paid Stars)
Sports
- Bill Allen
- Member of the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame (see list of Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame)
- Bill Baker
American hockey player. Member of the team that won the 1980 Olympic gold medal.
- 1980 Associated Press Athlete of the Year, with his teammates (see list of Associated Press Athletes of the Year)
- 1980 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year, with his teammates (see list of Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year)
- Bill Beach
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bill Bowrey
- 1968 Australian Open tennis champion (see list of Australian Open Tennis Champions)
- William ''Bill'' Bradley
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1982 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Brooks
Football player.
- 1954 Outland Trophy winner (see list of Outland Trophy Winners)
- Bill Buckner
Baseball player.
- 1980 National League Batting Champion (see list of National League Batting Champions)
- Bill Bunetta
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bill Cantrell
Power boat driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Power Boats (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bill Cook
Hockey player.
- 1927, 1933 Art Ross Trophy winner (see list of Art Ross Trophy Winners)
- Bill Cowley
Hockey player.
- 1941, 1943 Hart Trophy winner (see list of Hart Trophy Winners)
- 1941 Art Ross Trophy winner (see list of Art Ross Trophy Winners)
- Bill Dickey
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Doehrman
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bill Dudley
American football player.
- 1942 National Football League number-one draft pick (see list of Football #1 Draft Picks)
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1966 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bill Durnan
Hockey player.
- 1944-47, 1949-50 Vezina Trophy winner (see list of Vezina Trophy Winners)
- Bill Elliott
Race-car driver.
- 1985, 1987 Daytona 500 winner (see list of Daytona 500 Winners)
- Bill Falck
Aviator.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Air Racing (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bill Fischer
Football player.
- 1948 Outland Trophy winner (see list of Outland Trophy Winners)
- Bill Foster
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1996 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Franklin
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bill George
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1974 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bill Hartack
Jockey.
- 1957, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1969 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- Bill Hay
Hockey player.
- 1960 Calder Memorial Trophy winner (see list of Calder Memorial Trophy Winners)
- Bill Hewitt
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1971 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bill Holland
Race-car driver.
- 1949 Indianapolis 500 winner (see list of Indianapolis 500 Winners)
- Bill ''Grumpy'' Jenkins
Race-car driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Drag Racing (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bill Klem
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1953 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Koch
Olympic cross-country skier.
- Asthmatic (see list of Athletes Who Have Asthma)
- Bill Lillard
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bill Madlock
Baseball player.
- 1975-76, 1981, 1983 National League Batting Champion (see list of National League Batting Champions)
- Bill Mahoney (born 1928)
American skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1997 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- Bill Marolt
Skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1986 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- Bill McGowan
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1992 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill McKechnie
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Muncey
Power boat driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Power Boats (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bill Niekro
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Rodgers
American runner.
- 1975, 1978-80 Boston Marathon champion (see list of Boston Marathon Winners)
- 1976-79 New York Marathon champion (see list of New York Marathon Winners)
- Bill Rogers
- 1981 British Open golf champion (see list of British Open Golf Champions)
- Bill Russell
American basketball player and coach.
- 1957-58, 1960-63, 1964-65 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (see list of NBA Most Valuable Players)
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- 1968 Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year (see list of Sports Illustrated Sportsmen of the Year)
- Bill Sharman
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1974 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Shoemaker
- 1955, 1959, 1965, 1986 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- Bill Smith
Hockey player.
- 1982 Vezina Trophy winner (see list of Vezina Trophy Winners)
- Bill Stanfill
Football player.
- 1968 Outland Trophy winner (see list of Outland Trophy Winners)
- Bill Terry (died 1989)
Baseball player.
- 1930 National League Batting Champion (see list of National League Batting Champions)
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1954 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Tilden
American tennis player. Not long after his spectactular performances at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open, he was sentenced to prison for homosexuality.
- 1920-25, 1929 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1920-21, 1930 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- Bill Tucker
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- Bill Veeck
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1991 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Virdon
Baseball player.
- 1955 National League Rookie of the Year (see list of National League Rookies of the Year)
- Bill Vukovich
Race-car driver.
- 1953-54 Indianapolis 500 winner (see list of Indianapolis 500 Winners)
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Open Wheel (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- Bill Wade
American football player.
- 1952 National Football League number-one draft pick (see list of Football #1 Draft Picks)
- Bill Walsh
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1993 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- Bill Walton
- 1977-78 National Basketball Association Most Valuable Player (see list of NBA Most Valuable Players)
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- Bill Willis
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1977 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
Stage and Screen
- Bill Boyd (born 1911)
American singer and radio disk jockey.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Burrud
Actor and producer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Conti (born 1942)
American composer known for his film scores and television theme songs.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Cosby (born 1937)
American actor and comedian.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- 1998 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- Portrayed Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable (see list of Actors on ''The Cosby Show'')
- Bill Cunningham
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Daily (born 1928)
American actor.
- Portrayed Major Roger Healey (see list of Actors on ''I Dream of Jeannie'')
- Bill Gannon
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Harry Morgan (see list of Characters on ''Dragnet'')
- Bill Goodwin
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Haley (born 1925, died 1981)
American singer and musician best known for the song ''Rock Around the Clock.''
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Hay
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Keene
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Lewis
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''Guiding Light'''' (see list of Characters on ''Guiding Light'')
- Bill Leyden
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Mulder
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Peter Donat (see list of Characters on ''The X-Files'')
- Bill Murray (born 1950)
American actor, writer, producer, director, and comedian
- A cast member on ''''Saturday Night Live,'''' from 1977-1980 (see list of Saturday Night Live)
- Mayor Bill Pugen
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Michael Keenan (see list of Characters on ''Picket Fences'')
- Bill Raisch
- Portrayed Fred Johnson (see list of Actors on ''The Fugitive'')
- Bill Stern
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Thompson
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Welsh
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Bill Williams (born 1916, died 1992)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- Bill Hinch (Flagg)
Fictional character.
- Called Flagg as the King''s magician, and Bill Hinch as his executioner, in Stephen King''s novel The Eyes of the Dragon (see list of Characters in The Eyes of the Dragon)
- Bill Cobham
Fictional character.
- The postmaster in Stephen King''s novel Firestarter (see list of Characters in Firestarter)
- Bill Cosby (born 1937)
American actor and comedian.
- Author of the 1986 and 1987 nonfiction best-sellers Fatherhood and Time Flies (see list of Bestselling Nonfiction Authors in the U.S.)
- Bill Crouch
- 1950 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot News Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography)
- Bill Dedman
- 1989 Pulitzer Prize winner for Investigative Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting)
- Bill Dietrich
- 1990 Pulitzer Prize winner for National Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting)
- Bill Foley
- 1983 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot News Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography)
- Bill Hapscomb
Fictional character.
- Gas station owner in Stephen King''s novel The Stand (see list of Characters in The Stand)
- Bill Jamieson
Fictional character.
- A pilot in Stephen King''s novel The Stand (see list of Characters in The Stand)
- Bill Keller
- 1989 Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting)
- Bill Mauldin (born 1921)
American cartoonist.
- 1945 and 1959 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Cartooning (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning)
- Bill McGovern
Fictional character.
- Ralph''s friend and neighbor in Stephen King''s novel Insomnia (see list of Characters in Insomnia)
- Bill Norton
Fictional character.
- Susan''s father in Stephen King''s novel Salem''s Lot (see list of Characters in Salem's Lot)
- Bill Starkey
Fictional character.
- An officer who worked in Blue Project in Stephen King''s novel The Stand (see list of Characters in The Stand)
- Bill Wallace
Fictional character.
- English teacher in Stephen King''s novel Firestarter (see list of Characters in Firestarter)
- Bill Weasley
Fictional character
- Son of Arthur and Molly Weasley (see list of Selected characters from the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling)
Teasing Nicknames:
- Hillbilly
- Billy Goat
- Bobo
- Bilbo
- Billy Bob
- Wild Bill
- Billers
-
Alfalfa Bill
In reference to William H. Murray, Governor of Oklahoma (1929-1931). Oklahoma is one of the alfalfa-producing states.
- Billy the Kid
Associations:
''The Bill'' is British slang for the police.
To ''fit the bill'' means to meet the requirements of something.
To ''sell someone a bill of goods'' means to lie or to fool someone.
''Bill'' and ''billies'' are slang terms for paper money.
''Uncle Bill'' refers to the police force.
