William
Meaning: Its source is wil helm, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Determined protector."
Languages: This boy's name is used in English.
Alternative Spellings: Wiliam
Non-English Forms: Guilherme, Guillermo, Wilhelm, Willem, Guglielmo, Gwilym, Uilleam, Vilelmo, Guillaume, Vilém, Vilhelm, Wilheim, Wileen and Wiremu
Popularity: The name William ranked 10th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of 2000-2003 Social Security Administration statistics, 5th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census and 25th in popularity for males of all ages in a sample of the 1994 US Census.
This name is highly rated both on the 1990 U.S. Census list and in state data recording 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
- William Bailey
- Axl Rose (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- William James ''Count'' Basie (born 1904, died 1984)
American jazz musician.
- Pianist and band leader (see list of Readers' Picks for the Jazz Hall of Fame)
- William Blake (born 1757, died 1827)
English visionary poet, artist and engraver.
- Illustrated The Divine Comedy and his own books of poetry (see list of Artists of the Romantic Period)
- William Bolcom
- 1988 Pulitzer Prize winner for Music Composition (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Music)
- William Byrd (born 1543, died 1623)
English composer.
- Composer of madrigals and church music (see list of Renaissance Composers)
- William Caslon (born 1692, died 1766)
English typographer.
- Designed the Caslon typeface, one of the first to depart from reliance on handwritten models (see list of Graphic Designers)
- William Caudill
- 1985 American Institute of Architects gold medal winner (see list of Winners of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal)
- William Drayton
- Flavor Flav (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- William Addison Dwiggins (born 1880, died 1956)
American book designer, typographer, illustrator and puppeteer.
- Designed the Caledonia, Electra, Eldorado and Metro typefaces (see list of Graphic Designers)
- William ''Lefty'' Frizzell (born 1928, died 1975)
American musician and singer.
- Country Music Hall of Fame (see list of Country Music Hall of Fame)
- William Griffin
- Rakim (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- William Christopher ''W.C.'' Handy (born 1873, died 1958)
American blues musician, bandleader and songwriter.
- Wrote ''''St. Louis Blues'''' and ''''Memphis Blues'''' (see list of Songwriters)
- William Hanna (born 1910)
American cartoonist.
- Animator of Tom and Jerry, Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear, and the Flintstones (see list of Cartoonists)
- William Royce ''Boz'' Scaggs (born 1944)
American singer and musician.
- Musical guest on ''''Saturday Night Live'''' (see list of Musical Guests on ''Saturday Night Live'')
- William Schuman (born 1910, died 1992)
American composer and educator.
- 1943 Pulitzer Prize winner for Music Composition (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Music)
- Composed Credendum (see list of Composers of the 20th Century)
- William Steig (born 1907)
American cartoonist.
- New Yorker cartoonist (see list of Cartoonists)
- William Grant Still (born 1895, died 1978)
American composer and conductor.
- Wrote ''''Afro-American Symphony'''' (see list of Composers of the 20th Century)
- William Henry Fox Talbot (born 1800, died 1877)
English photographer.
- Produced one of the first photographically illustrated books, Pencil of Nature (see list of Miscellaneous Photographers)
- William J. Woods
- Little Willie John (see list of Nicknames of Musicians)
- William Wilson Wurster
- 1969 American Institute of Architects gold medal winner (see list of Winners of the American Institute of Architects Gold Medal)
Leadership
- William J. Avery
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Crown Cork & Seal (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William B. Bankhead
U.S. Representative from Alabama.
- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1936-39 (see list of Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives)
- William J. Bauer
American judge.
- Senior Circuit Judge, Seventh Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
- William Maxwell Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook (born 1879, died 1964)
Canadian-born British newspaper publisher, statesman, and political writer.
- Served the Canadian government in World War I, and the British government in World War II (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William Carr Beresford, Viscount Beresford (born 1768, died 1854)
British general.
- Led troops in Egypt and on the Iberian Peninsula during the Napoleonic wars (see list of Generals of the Napoleonic Wars)
- William E. Bindley
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Bindley Western (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Birney
Union general in the U.S. Civil War.
- General in the Army of the Potomac (see list of Some Union Generals of the Army of the Potomac)
- William Bolton
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Bruno''s (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Bramwell Booth (born 1829, died 1912)
British humanitarian and religious leader.
- Founded the Salvation Army (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- William E. Brawdford
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Dresser Industries (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Jennings Bryan (born 1860, died 1925)
American lawyer, statesman, and orator. Three-time candidate for President.
- A prosecuting attorney in the 1925 trial of John T. Scopes for teaching evolution (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William C. Bryson
American judge.
- Circuit Judge, Federal Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
- William J. Catacosinos
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Long Island Lighting (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Ellery Channing (born 1780, died 1842)
American clergyman and reformer.
- A leading figure of the Transcendentalist movement and the founder of the Unitarian Church in America (see list of Religious Leaders)
- William Cushing
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1789-1810 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William E. Davis
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Niagara Mohawk Power (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William R. Day
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1903-22 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William Dillard
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Dillard Department Stores (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William H. Donaldson
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Aetna (see list of 2000 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William O. Douglas
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1939-75 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William C. Durant (born 1861, died 1947)
American industrialist.
- Formed General Motors (GM) (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- William Ellery
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, Rhode Island (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- William T. Esrey
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Sprint (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William George Fargo (born 1818, died 1881)
American businessman.
- Co-founder of the Wells-Fargo stagecoach company (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- William Floyd
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, New York (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- William C. Foote
- CEO of Fortune 500 company USG (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Lloyd Garrison (born 1805, died 1879)
American abolitionist.
- President of the American Anti-Slavery Society, 1843-65 (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- William Ewart Gladstone (born 1809, died 1898)
British legislator and statesman. An influential member of parliament throught much of queen Victoria's reign.
- British prime minister, 1868-74, 1880-85, 1886, 1892-94 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William E. Greehey
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Valero Energy (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Green (born 1873, died 1952)
American labor leader.
- President of the American Federation of Labor (AFL), 1924-52 (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- William H. Grigg
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Duke Power (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Henry Harrison (born 1773, died 1841)
Ninth President of the U.S.
- U.S. President, 1841. (see list of Presidents of the United States)
- William Randolph Hearst (born 1866, died 1951)
American newspaper and magazine publisher.
- U.S. representative from New York, 1903-07 (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- William F. Hecht
- CEO of Fortune 500 company PP&L Resources (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Hooper
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, North Carolina (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- William Howe (born 1729, died 1814)
British general.
- Commander in chief of British forces in North America during the Revolution, 1775-78 (see list of Miscellaneous Military Leaders)
- William J. Hudson
- CEO of Fortune 500 company AMP (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William I (born 1027, died 1087)
King of England, 1066-87.
- ''''William the Conqueror,'''' who led the Norman (French) conquest of Anglo-Saxon England (see list of British Monarchs)
- William II (born 1056, died 1100)
King of England, 1087-1100.
- Called ''''Rufus'''' because of his ruddy complexion (see list of British Monarchs)
- William III (born 1650, died 1702)
King of England, Ireland and Scotland, 1689-1702.
- Prince of Orange and Stadholder of Holland who was invited to take the place of his hated father-in-law, James II, on the English throne; ruled jointly with his wife, Mary, until her death in 1694 (see list of British Monarchs)
- William F. Aldinger III
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Household International (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William IV (born 1765, died 1837)
King of Great Britain and Ireland, 1830-1837.
- Called ''''the Sailor-King'''' and ''''Silly Billy,'''' he was the last king to force a ministry onto an unwilling parliament (see list of British Monarchs)
- William Johnson
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1804-34 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William Wrigley, Jr. (born 1861, died 1932)
American businessman.
- Founded the chewing-gum company that bears his name (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- William J. Brennan, Jr. (born 1906, died 1997)
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1956-90 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William C. Steere, Jr.
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Pfizer (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William W. Wilkins, Jr.
American judge.
- Circuit Judge, Fourth Circuit Court (see list of Judges of the U.S. Courts of Appeals)
- William T. McCormick, Jr.
- CEO of Fortune 500 company CMS Energy (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Pitt, Jr. (born 1759, died 1806)
Perhaps England's greatest prime minister.
- British prime minister, 1783-1801, 1804-05 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William B. Harrison, Jr.
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Chase Manhattan Corp. (see list of 2000 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Chase Manhattan Corp. (see list of 1999 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Levitt
- Suburban Legend who created suburbia (see list of Twenty innovators who changed the 20th century)
- William G. Lewis
Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
- General in the Army of Northern Virginia (see list of Some Confederate Generals of the Army of Northern Virginia)
- H. William Lichtenberger
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Parxair (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William the Lion (born 1143, died 1214)
King of Scotland, 1165-1214.
- Involved in Henry II of England''s wars with his sons (see list of Scottish Monarchs)
- William Mahone
Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
- The sight of General Billy Mahone on the field of battle ''''would put fight into a whipped chicken'''' according to wags of the Army of Northern Virginia (see list of Some Confederate Generals of the Army of Northern Virginia)
- William H. McGuffey (born 1800, died 1857)
American author and educator.
- Wrote the McGuffey Eclectic Reader, which sold an estimated 122 million copies in the mid-19th century (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- William W. McGuire
- CEO of Fortune 500 company United Healthcare (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William McKinley (born 1843, died 1901)
Twenty-fifth President of the U.S., and the last Civil War veteran to become President.
- U.S. President, 1897-1901 (see list of Presidents of the United States)
- William J. Miller
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Quantum (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William H. Moody
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1906-10 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William Lewis Moore
- Killed in civil rights movement April 23, 1963 (see list of Names on the Civil Rights Memorial)
- William Paca
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, Maryland (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- William S. Paley (born 1901, died 1990)
American businessman.
- Headed the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (see list of Miscellaneous Business Leaders)
- William Paterson
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1793-1806 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William Dorsey Pender
Confederate general in the U.S. Civil War.
- General in the Army of Northern Virginia (see list of Some Confederate Generals of the Army of Northern Virginia)
- William Pennington
U.S. Representative from New Jersey.
- Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1859-61 (see list of Speakers of the U.S. House of Representatives)
- William Pitt (born 1708, died 1778)
English statesman called ''the Great Commoner.''
- One of the most influential legislators of his day, though he was never officially prime minister (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William H. Rehnquist (born 1924)
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice since 1972; Chief Justice since 1987 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William P. Rutledge
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Teledyne (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William W. Scranton (born 1917)
American diplomat.
- U.S. representative to the United Nations, 1976-77 (see list of U.S. Representatives to the United Nations)
- William H. Seward (born 1801, died 1872)
American statesman. A strong opponent of slavery.
- Best remembered for advocating purchase of ''''Seward''s Folly'''' (Alaska) while serving as secretary of state to Abraham Lincoln (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William Tecumseh Sherman (born 1820, died 1891)
American general.
- Led the famous ''''March to the Sea,'''' from Atlanta to Savannah, in the U.S. Civil War (see list of Miscellaneous Military Leaders)
- William E.B. Siart
- CEO of Fortune 500 company First Interstate Bancorp (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William D. Smithburg
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Quaker Oats (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William P. Sovey
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Newell (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William F. Stavropoulos
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Dow Chemical (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William P. Stiritz
- CEO of Fortune 500 company Ralston Purina (see list of 1996 Fortune 500 Company CEOs)
- William Strong
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1870-80 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William Howard Taft (born 1857, died 1930)
Twenty-seventh President of the U.S., and later Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
- U.S. President, 1909-13 (see list of Presidents of the United States)
- Chief Justice of the United States, 1921-1930 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
- William M. ''Boss'' Tweed (born 1823, died 1878)
Ran the Tweed Ring, a powerful New York political machine. Died while serving a jail sentence for corruption.
- New York state senator, 1867-71 (see list of Miscellaneous Political Leaders)
- William Wallace (born 1272)
13th century Scottish hero
- Guardian and liberator of the Scottish people and subject of the movie Braveheart (see list of Scottish Monarchs)
- William Whipple
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, New Hampshire (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- William Wilberforce (born 1759, died 1833)
English abolitionist and evangelical.
- Founder of the Anti-slavery Society, 1823 (see list of Noted Social Reformers and Educators)
- William Williams
- Signer, Declaration of Independence, Connecticut (see list of Signers of the Declaration of Independence)
- William B. Woods
American jurist.
- U.S. Supreme Court justice, 1880-87 (see list of U.S. Supreme Court Justices)
Miscellaneous
- William A. Anders (born 1933)
American astronaut.
- 1968 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- William Hugh Baber
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William James ''Count'' Basie (born 1904, died 1984)
American jazz musician.
- 1985 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William Maxwell Aitken, Lord Beaverbrook (born 1879, died 1964)
Canadian-born British newspaper publisher, statesman, and political writer.
- Born in Maple, Ontario (see list of Famous Canadians)
- William Bent
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William Avery Bishop (born 1894, died 1956)
Canadian fighter pilot.
- Shot down 72 planes in World War II (see list of Soldiers & Swashbucklers)
- William Edward Burghardt ''W.E.B.'' Du Bois (born 1868, died 1963)
American sociologist and civil-rights activist. Co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
- 1920 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- William S. Braithwaite
- 1918 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- William S. Burroughs (born 1914, died 1997)
American novelist.
- On the cover of Sgt. Pepper''s Lonely Hearts Club Band (see list of Faces on the Cover of ''Sergeant Pepper'')
- William Clark (born 1770, died 1838)
American soldier and explorer.
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William Frederick ''Buffalo Bill'' Cody (born 1846, died 1917)
American scout, hunter and showman.
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William Connolly
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William Claude Dukenfield (W.C. Fields) (born 1880, died 1946)
American comedian and actor.
- Had tuberculosis (see list of People Who Have Had Tuberculosis)
- On the cover of Sgt. Pepper''s Lonely Hearts Club Band (see list of Faces on the Cover of ''Sergeant Pepper'')
- William Flake
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- J. William Fulbright (born 1905, died 1995)
American legislator. Sponsored the legislation for the international student exchange program that bears his name.
- 1993 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William H. Hastie
- 1943 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
- William M. Henry (born 1890, died 1970)
American newspaper columnist.
- 1970 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William W. Hollister
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William J. Hopkins
- 1971 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William C. Irvine
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William J. Brennan, Jr. (born 1906, died 1997)
American jurist.
- 1993 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William F. Buckley, Jr. (born 1925)
American writer and editor. Founder of the conservative National Review.
- 1991 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William T. Coleman, Jr.
American public official. As President Gerald Ford's Secretary of Transportation, he was the first African-American to serve in the cabinet.
- 1995 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William Kidd (died 1701)
Scottish privateer and pirate.
- The famous Captain Kidd''s pirate career lasted only two years, and ended in his being hanged and his belongings donated to charity (see list of Soldiers & Swashbucklers)
- William Kittredge
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William H. Moffatt
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William Jackson Palmer
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William A. Paxton
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William James Perry (born 1927)
American government official.
- 1997 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- 1997 recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William Davis Poole
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William MacLeod Raine
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William P. Rogers (born 1913)
American statesman. Secretary of State, 1969-73.
- 1973 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William Shatner (born 1931)
Canadian-American actor, director and author.
- Born in Montreal, Quebec (see list of Famous Canadians)
- William Shockley
American physicist who helped develop the transistor.
- 1960 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- William Morris Stewart
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William Wiseham Terrett
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William M. Tilghman
- National Cowboy Hall of Fame (see list of National Cowboy Hall of Fame)
- William B. Walsh
Physician.
- 1987 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William H. Webster (born 1924)
American government official. Director of the FBI.
- 1991 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William Westmoreland (born 1914)
U.S. Army general; commander of American forces in Vietnam.
- 1965 Time Magazine Man of the Year (see list of Time Magazine's Man of the Year Honorees)
- William S. White (born 1907)
American journalist.
- 1969 recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom (see list of Presidential Medal of Freedom Winners)
- William
- Hurricane or tropical storm (see list of Hurricane and Tropical Storm Names)
- William T.B. Williams
- 1934 Spingarn Medal winner (see list of Spingarn Medal Winners)
Science and Philosophy
- William M. Allen
American aircraft industry executive; president of the Boeing Corporation.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- William A. Anders (born 1933)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Apollo 8 (1968) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William O. Baker
- 1988 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William E. Boeing (born 1881, died 1956)
American aircraft manufacturer; founder of the Boeing Corporation.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- William Lawrence Bragg (born 1890, died 1971)
British physicist who used X-ray diffraction to study crystal structure.
- 1915 Nobel Prize winner in Physics with his father, William Henry Bragg (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- William Henry Bragg (born 1862, died 1942)
British physicist known for using X-rays to analyze the structure of crystals.
- 1915 Nobel Prize winner in Physics with his son, William Lawrence Bragg (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- William Clark (born 1770, died 1838)
American soldier and explorer.
- Explored North America from the Mississippi to the Pacific with Meriwether Lewis (1804-06) (see list of Explorers)
- William Crookes (born 1832, died 1919)
British physicist and chemist.
- Invented the radiometer (see list of Mathematicians, Physicists & Astronomers)
- William Dampier (born 1651, died 1715)
English pirate and explorer.
- Wrote A New Voyage Round the World (see list of Explorers)
- William K. Estes (born 1919)
Professor emeritus of psychology, Havard University
- 1997 National Medal of Science Winner in the Behavioral and Social Sciences (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William M. Ewing (born 1906, died 1974)
American geophysicist.
- 1973 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William Feller
- 1969 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William F. Fisher
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Discovery (1985) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William A. Fowler
American physicist known for his studies on the formation of chemical elements.
- 1974 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- 1983 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, with Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- William F. Giauque
American scientist known for work on chemical thermodynamics.
- 1949 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
- William Crawford Gorgas (born 1854, died 1920)
American army physician.
- His work in supressing yellow fever made construction of the Panama Canal possible (see list of Medical Practitioners)
- William G. Gregory
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Endeavor (1995) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William Harvey (born 1578, died 1657)
British physician.
- Explained the circulation of the blood (see list of Medical Practitioners)
- William Herschel (born 1738, died 1822)
British astronomer.
- Discovered Uranus and the Martian polar caps (see list of Mathematicians, Physicists & Astronomers)
- William R. Hewlett
American engineer. One of the founders of the Hewlett-Packard company.
- 1985 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William James (born 1842, died 1910)
American psychologist and philosopher.
- One of the founders of Pragmatism (see list of Philosophers)
- William S. Johnson
- 1987 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William Surles McArthur, Jr. (born 1951)
American astronaut.
- Scientist on Columbia (1993), Atlantis (1995) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William Thomson Kelvin (born 1824, died 1907)
Scottish physicist and inventor.
- Devised the absolute temperature scale that bears his name; also invented many scientific instruments (see list of Mathematicians, Physicists & Astronomers)
- William J. Knight (born 1929)
U.S. Air Force experimental test pilot.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- William B. Lenoir
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Columbia (1982) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William N. Lipscomb
American scientist known for his studies on chemical bonding.
- 1976 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
- William Parry Murphy (born 1892)
American physician developed a dietary treatment for anemia.
- 1934 Nobel Prize winner in Physiology/Medicine, with George Minot and George Whipple (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine)
- William of Ockham
Fourteenth-century English scholastic philosopher.
- Excommunicated for questioning the infallibility of the pope and his authority in civil affairs (see list of Philosophers)
- William A. Pailes
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Atlantis (1985) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William A. Patterson
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- William D. Phillips (born 1948)
American physicist who helped develop a technique for using lasers to trap atoms.
- 1997 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, with Steven Chu and Claude Cohen-Tannoudji (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- William H. Pickering
American physiologist.
- 1975 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William R. Pogue
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Skylab 4 (1973) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William Hickling Prescott (born 1796, died 1859)
American historian.
- His near blindness didn''t keep him from producing many works on Spanish history (see list of Historians)
- William Ramsay (born 1852, died 1916)
British chemist who discovered the elemental gasses neon, argon, krypton, and xenon.
- 1904 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
- William F. Readdy (born 1952)
American astronaut.
- Astronaut on Discovery (1992, 1993), Atlantis (1996) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William C. Rose
- 1966 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William W. Rubey
American geologist.
- 1965 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
- William F. Sharpe
American economist known for his work on the capital asset pricing model.
- 1990 Nobel Prize winner for Economics, with Harry Markowitz and Merton Miller (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Economics)
- William M. Shepherd
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Atlantis (1988), Discovery (1990), Columbia (1992) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William Shockley
American physicist who helped develop the transistor.
- 1956 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, with John Bardeen and Walter Brattain (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Physics)
- William P. Lear, Sr. (born 1903, died 1978)
American aircraft developer and manufacturer.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- William T. Piper, Sr. (born 1881, died 1970)
American aircraft designer and manufacturer; founder of Piper Aircraft Corporation.
- Member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame (see list of National Aviation Hall of Fame)
- William H. Stein
American scientist known for his studies of RNA.
- 1972 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry, with Christian Anfinsen and Stanford Moore (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry)
- William Graham Sumner (born 1840, died 1910)
American economist and sociologist.
- Advocate of free trade and big business (see list of Economists)
- William Thornton
NASA astronaut.
- Astronaut on Challenger (1983, 1985) (see list of Spaceflight Veterans)
- William Vickrey (born 1914, died 1996)
Canadian economist known for his studies of economic behavior in situations where complete information is not available, or one party has more information than the other. Died just three days after winning the Nobel Prize.
- 1996 Nobel Prize winner for Economics, with James A. Mirrlees (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Economics)
- William Julius Wilson (born 1935)
Professor of social policy at Havard University
- 1998 National Medal of Science winner (see list of National Medal of Science Winners)
Sports
- William Auchterlonie
- 1893 British Open golf champion (see list of British Open Golf Champions)
- William Boland
Jockey.
- 1950 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- William ''Sarge'' Brown
Skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1982 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- William Carr
American athlete.
- 1932 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 400m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Track Events)
- William J. Clothier
- 1906 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- William Cummings
Race-car driver.
- 1934 Indianapolis 500 winner (see list of Indianapolis 500 Winners)
- William ''Candy'' Cummings
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1939 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- William ''Pop'' Gates
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1989 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- William J. Hamilton
- 1890 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- William de Hart-Hubbard
American athlete.
- 1924 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Long Jump (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the Long Jump)
- William ''Red'' Holzman
American basketball coach.
- Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1986 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- William Welles Hoyt
American athlete.
- 1896 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Pole Vault (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Field Events)
- William Hulbert
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1995 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- William ''Judy'' Johnson (died 1989)
American baseball player who was a star of the Negro leagues.
- Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1975 (see list of Members of the Baseball Hall of Fame)
- William ''Skinny'' Johnson
American basketball player.
- Inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1976 (see list of Basketball Hall of Fame)
- William Johnson
American athlete.
- 1984 Olympic alpine skiing gold medal winner for Downhill (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Downhill Skiing)
- William M. Johnston
American tennis player.
- 1915, 1919 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- 1923 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- William Hodges, Jr.
Skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1990 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- William Judd
Skier.
- Elected to the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame in 1983 (see list of Members of the Colorado Ski Hall of Fame)
- William K. Kennedy
American runner.
- 1917 Boston Marathon champion (see list of Boston Marathon Winners)
- William Knapp
Jockey.
- 1918 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- William A. Larned
- 1901-02, 1907-11 U.S. Open tennis champion (see list of U.S. Open Tennis Champions)
- William Roy ''Link'' Lyman
- Elected to the Professional Football Hall of Fame in 1964 (see list of Professional Football Hall of Fame)
- William Miller
American athlete.
- 1932 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Pole Vault (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Field Events)
- William Mills
American athlete.
- 1964 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 10,000m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Track Events)
- William Muldoon
- Member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame (see list of Non-Participant inductees)
- William Mulliken
American athlete.
- 1960 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 200m breaststroke (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Swimming Events)
- William Nieder
American athlete.
- 1960 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Shot Put (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Field Events)
- William Parry O'Brien
American athlete.
- 1952, 1956 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Shot Put (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Field Events)
- William Peterssen
Swedish athlete.
- 1920 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for Long Jump (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the Long Jump)
- William Porter
American athlete.
- 1948 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 110m Hurdles (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Hurdles)
- William Renshaw
- 1881-86/89 Wimbledon tennis champion (see list of Wimbledon Tennis Champions)
- William ''Smokey'' Saunders
Jockey.
- 1935 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- 1935 winner of the Triple Crown, riding ''''Omaha'''' (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Triple Crown)
- William ''Buzz'' Schneider
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)
- William Smith
American athlete.
- 1948 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 400m Freestyle (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Freestyle Swimming)
- William France, Sr.
Race-car driver.
- Member of the Motorsports Hall of Fame for Stock Cars (see list of Members of the Motorsports Hall of Fame)
- William Hall, Sr.
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- William Tanui
Kenyan athlete.
- 1992 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for 800m (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in the 800m Run)
- William Thompson
- Member of the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame (see list of American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame)
- William Thoresson
Swedish athlete.
- 1952 Olympic gymnastics gold medal winner for Floor Exercise (see list of Gold Medalists in Individual Gymnastics Events)
- William Toomey
American athlete.
- 1968 Olympic track and field gold medal winner for the Decathlon (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Decathlon/Heptathlon/Pentathlon)
- William Walker
Jockey.
- 1877 Kentucky Derby winner (see list of Jockeys Who Have Won the Kentucky Derby)
- William Yorzyk
American athlete.
- 1956 Olympic swimming gold medal winner for 200m butterfly (see list of Olympic Gold Medalists in Miscellaneous Swimming Events)
Stage and Screen
- William ''Billy'' Abbott
Fictional character.
- Character on the soap opera ''''The Young and the Restless'''' (see list of Characters on ''The Young and the Restless'')
- William James ''Count'' Basie (born 1904, died 1984)
American jazz musician.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- 1981 Kennedy Center Honors recipient (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- William Beaudine
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Bendix
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Boyd (born 1898, died 1972)
American actor best known for the role of Hopalong Cassidy.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Christopher
- Portrayed Father Francis Mulcahy (see list of Actors on ''M*A*S*H*'')
- William Collier (born 1866, died 1944)
American actor and director.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Conrad (born 1920, died 1994)
American actor, director and producer.
- Narrator (see list of Actors on ''The Fugitive'')
- William Deiterle (born 1893, died 1972)
German-born American movie director.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Demarest (born 1892, died 1983)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Farnum (born 1876, died 1953)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Alfred Faversham (born 1868, died 1940)
English stage and silent-film actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Claude Dukenfield (W.C. Fields) (born 1880, died 1946)
American comedian and actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Radio (see list of Radio Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Fox
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Frawley (born 1887, died 1966)
American actor.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Portrayed Fred Mertz (see list of Actors on ''I Love Lucy'')
- William Friedkin (born 1939)
American writer, director and producer.
- 1971 Academy Award winner for The French Connection (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Director)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William ''Lefty'' Frizzell (born 1928, died 1975)
American musician and singer.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Haines (born 1900, died 1973)
American actor and interior decorator.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William S. Hart (born 1872, died 1946)
American actor and author.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Dr. William Hayward
Fictional character.
- Portrayed by Warren Frost (see list of Characters on ''Twin Peaks'')
- William Holden (born 1918, died 1981)
American actor.
- 1953 Academy Award winner for his performance in Stalag 17 (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Actor)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William K. Howard
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Hurt (born 1950)
American actor.
- 1985 Academy Award winner for his performance in Kiss of the Spider Woman (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Actor)
- Winner of the 1985 Cannes Film Festival Best Actor award, for Kiss of the Spider Woman (see list of Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Winners)
- William Lundigan (born 1914, died 1975)
American actor.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- William H. Macy
Actor.
- Portrays Dr. David Morgenstern (see list of Actors on ''ER'')
- William De Mille
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William R. Moses
American actor.
- Portrayed Keith Gray (see list of Actors on ''Melrose Place'')
- William Powell (born 1892, died 1984)
American actor.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Primrose (born 1904, died 1982)
Scottish-born American violinist.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Reynolds
- Portrayed by Robert Reed (see list of Characters on ''Roots'')
- William T. Riker
Fictional character. First officer aboard the starship Enterprise.
- Portrayed by Jonathan Frakes (see list of Characters on ''Star Trek: The Next Generation'')
- William Roerick
- Actor on soap opera ''''Guiding Light'''' (see list of Performers on ''Guiding Light'')
- William Schuman (born 1910, died 1992)
American composer and educator.
- 1989 Kennedy Center Honors recipient. (see list of Kennedy Center Honors Recipients)
- William Seiter
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Selig
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Shatner (born 1931)
Canadian-American actor, director and author.
- On Hollywood''s Footprints of Fame (see list of Celebrities Honored by Mann's Chinese Theater)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Television (see list of Television Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- Portrayed Capt. James Tiberius Kirk (see list of Actors on ''Star Trek'')
- William Steinberg (born 1899, died 1978)
German-born American conductor. Original name: Hans Wilhelm Steinberg.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording (see list of Recording Personalites with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Talman (born 1917, died 1968)
American actor.
- Portrayed District Attorney Hamilton Burger (see list of Actors on ''Perry Mason'')
- William True
- The adopted son of Kirstie Alley and Parker Stevenson (see list of see Celebrity Babies)
- William Augustus Wellman (born 1896, died 1975)
American movie director.
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
- William Windom (born 1923)
American actor.
- Portrayed Dr. Seth Hazlett (see list of Actors on ''Murder, She Wrote'')
- William Wintersole
- Actor on the soap opera ''''The Young and the Restless'''' (see list of Performers on ''The Young and the Restless'')
- William Wyler (born 1902, died 1981)
American director and producer.
- Two-time Academy Award winner for Best Director: 1942, for Mrs. Miniver; 1959, for Ben-Hur (see list of Oscar Winners for Best Director)
- Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame for Motion Picture (see list of Movie Personalities with Stars in the Hollywood Walk of Fame)
The Literary World
- William H. Armstrong
- 1970 Newbery Medal winner, for Sounder (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
- William C. Beall
- 1958 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot News Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography)
- William Beaumont
Fictional character.
- One of Thad''s twin children in Stephen King''s novel The Dark Half (see list of Characters in The Dark Half)
- William Rose Benet (born 1886, died 1950)
American poet and journalist.
- 1942 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for The Dust Which Is God (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- William Blake (born 1757, died 1827)
English visionary poet, artist and engraver.
- Wrote Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience (see list of Writers of the Romantic Period (1785-1830))
- William Pène du Bois
- 1948 Newbery Medal winner, for The Twenty-One Balloons (see list of Newbery Medal Winners)
- William Lisle Bowles (born 1762, died 1850)
English poet.
- Wrote Fourteen Sonnets (see list of Writers of the Romantic Period (1785-1830))
- William Bronk (born 1918)
American poet.
- 1982 National Book Award winner for Poetry, for Life Supports (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Poetry)
- William Cabell Bruce
- 1918 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for Benjamin Franklin, Self-Revealed (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- William S. Burroughs (born 1914, died 1997)
American novelist.
- Wrote Naked Lunch and Nova Express; developed the ''''cut-up'''' technique (see list of Writers of the Beat Generation)
- William A. Caldwell
- 1971 Pulitzer Prize winner for Commentary (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary)
- William Caxton (born 1422, died 1491)
English printer and translator.
- The first printer in England (see list of Ancient and Medieval Writers)
- William Collins (born 1721, died 1759)
English poet.
- Wrote Odes on Several Descriptive and Allegorical Subjects (see list of Writers of the Restoration and 18th Century)
- William Congreve (born 1670, died 1729)
English Neoclassical playwright.
- Wrote The Way of the World (see list of Writers of the Restoration and 18th Century)
- William Cowper (born 1731, died 1800)
English poet.
- Wrote The Task (see list of Writers of the Restoration and 18th Century)
- William D'Avenant (born 1606, died 1668)
English poet.
- Poet Laureate of England, 1637-68 (see list of English Poets Laureate)
- William ''Stuttering Bill'' Denbrough
Fictional character.
- An author of horror novels in Stephen King''s novel It (see list of Characters in It)
- William J. Dorvillier
- 1961 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- William J. Eaton
- 1970 Pulitzer Prize winner for National Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting)
- William Faulkner (born 1897, died 1962)
American novelist and short-story writer.
- 1949 Nobel Prize winner for Literature (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature)
- Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction, in 1955 for A Fable and in 1963 for The Reivers (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
- Two-time National Book Award winner for Fiction, in 1951 for The Collected Stories and in 1955 for A Fable (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Fiction)
- William H. Fitzpatrick
- 1951 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- William Gaddis (born 1922)
American novelist.
- Two-time National Book Award winner for Fiction, in 1976 for JR and in 1994 for A Frolic of His Own (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Fiction)
- William Gaines
- 1988 Pulitzer Prize winner for Specialized Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Beat Reporting)
- William M. Gallagher
- 1953 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot News Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography)
- William H. Goetzmann (born 1930)
American historian.
- 1967 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for Exploration and Empire: The Explorer and the Scientist in the Winning of the American West (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
- William Golding (born 1911, died 1993)
English novelist.
- 1983 Nobel Prize winner for Literature (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature)
- Author of Lord of the Flies (see list of Authors of some of the most frequently banned books between 1990-99, in the United States)
- Wrote Lord of the Flies (see list of Prose Writers of the 20th Century)
- William Goldman (born 1931)
American novelist and screenwriter.
- Wrote Marathon Man (see list of Prose Writers of the 20th Century)
- William H. Grimes
- 1947 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- William Hazlitt (born 1778, died 1830)
English essayist.
- Wrote ''''On Gusto'''' (see list of Writers of the Romantic Period (1785-1830))
- William Ernest Henley (born 1849, died 1903)
English poet.
- Wrote ''''Invictus'''' (see list of Poets of the Victorian Era)
- William Sydney Porter (O. Henry) (born 1862, died 1910)
American author who began writing his wildly successful short stories while serving a prison term for embezzlement.
- Wrote Cabbages and Kings (see list of Prose Writers of the 20th Century)
- William Dean Howells (born 1837, died 1920)
American novelist.
- Wrote The Rise of Silas Lapham (see list of Prose Writers of the Victorian Era)
- William A. Henry III
- 1980 Pulitzer Prize winner for Criticism (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism)
- William M. Inge (born 1913, died 1973)
American playwright.
- 1953 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, for Picnic (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
- William Hugh Jones
- 1971 Pulitzer Prize winner for Investigative Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting)
- William Randolph Hearst, Jr.
- 1956 Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting)
- William Kennedy (born 1928)
American novelist.
- 1984 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction, for Ironweed (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
- William Kotzwinkle (born 1938)
American novelist and children's writer.
- Author of the 1982 best-selling novel E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial Storybook (see list of Bestselling Fiction Authors in the U.S.)
- William Lambert
- 1957 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot Reporting)
- William L. Laurence
- 1937 and 1946 Pulitzer Prize winner for Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Reporting)
- William Longgood
- 1963 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot Reporting)
- William Mahout
Fictional character.
- Jessie''s younger brother in Stephen King''s novel Gerald''s Game (see list of Characters in Gerald's Game)
- William Manchester
- Author of the 1967 nonfiction best-seller Death of a President (see list of Bestselling Nonfiction Authors in the U.S.)
- William S. McFeely
- 1982 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for Grant: A Biography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- William McPherson
- 1977 Pulitzer Prize winner for Criticism (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism)
- William Meredith (born 1919)
American poet.
- 1988 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for Partial Accounts: New and Selected Poems (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- 1997 National Book Award winner for Poetry, for Effort at Speech: New and Selected Poems (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Poetry)
- William Stanley ''W.S.'' Merwin (born 1927)
American poet.
- 1979 Bollingen Prize winner (see list of Winners of the Bollingen Prize for Poetry)
- 1971 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for The Carrier of Ladders (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- William Burke Miller
- 1926 Pulitzer Prize winner for Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Reporting)
- William Morris (born 1834, died 1896)
English poet and artist.
- Wrote News from Nowhere (see list of Poets of the Victorian Era)
- William Mullen
- 1975 Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting)
- William Raspberry
- 1994 Pulitzer Prize winner for Commentary (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary)
- William Safire (born 1929)
- 1978 Pulitzer Prize winner for Commentary (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Commentary)
- William Saroyan (born 1908, died 1981)
American novelist and playwright.
- 1940 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama, for The Time of Your Life (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama)
- Wrote The Human Comedy (see list of Prose Writers of the 20th Century)
- William Schuman (born 1910, died 1992)
American composer and educator.
- 1985 recipient of a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation (see list of Winners of a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation)
- William Seaman
- 1959 Pulitzer Prize winner for Spot News Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Photography)
- William Shakespeare (born 1564, died 1616)
English playwright and poet.
- Wrote Sonnets and over three dozen plays (see list of Writers of the 16th Century)
- William Sherman
- 1974 Pulitzer Prize winner for Investigative Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting)
- William L. Shirer
American historian.
- 1961 National Book Award winner for Nonfiction, for The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Nonfiction)
- William Sowden Sims (born 1858, died 1936)
American admiral.
- 1921 Pulitzer Prize winner for History, for The Victory at Sea (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for History)
- William D. Snodgrass (born 1926)
American poet.
- 1960 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for Heart''s Needle (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- William Snyder
- 1991 Pulitzer Prize winner for Feature Photography (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography)
- 1989 Pulitzer Prize winner for Explanatory Journalism (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism)
- William Stafford
American poet.
- 1963 National Book Award winner for Poetry, for Traveling Through the Dark (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Poetry)
- William Styron (born 1925)
American novelist.
- 1968 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction, for The Confessions of Nat Turner (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)
- 1980 National Book Award winner for Fiction, for Sophie''s Choice (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Fiction)
- Wrote Lie Down in Darkness (see list of Prose Writers of the 20th Century)
- William Andrew Swanberg
- 1973 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for Luce and His Empire (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- William H. Taylor
- 1935 Pulitzer Prize winner for Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Reporting)
- William Makepeace Thackeray (born 1811, died 1863)
English novelist.
- Wrote Vanity Fair (see list of Prose Writers of the Victorian Era)
- William Tuohy
- 1969 Pulitzer Prize winner for International Reporting (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting)
- William W. Warner
- 1977 Pulitzer Prize winner for General Nonfiction, for Beautiful Swimmers (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction)
- William Wesley Waymack
- 1938 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- William Allen White (born 1868, died 1944)
American journalist.
- 1923 Pulitzer Prize winner for Editorial Writing (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing)
- 1947 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for The Autobiography of William Allen White (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- William S. White (born 1907)
American journalist.
- 1955 Pulitzer Prize winner for Biography/Autobiography, for The Taft Story (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography)
- William Whitehead (born 1715, died 1785)
English poet.
- Poet Laureate of England, 1757-85 (see list of English Poets Laureate)
- William
- Minor characters share the Bard''s name in As You Like It and Henry IV, Pt. II (see list of Shakespearean Characters)
- William Carlos Williams (born 1883, died 1963)
American poet, short-story writer, novelist, essayist, and physician.
- 1952 Bollingen Prize winner (see list of Winners of the Bollingen Prize for Poetry)
- 1963 Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry, for Pictures from Breughel (see list of Winners of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry)
- 1950 National Book Award winner for Poetry, for Paterson: Book III and Selected Poems (see list of Winners of the National Book Award for Poetry)
- Wrote Spring and All (see list of Poets of the 20th Century)
- William Wordsworth (born 1770, died 1850)
English poet.
- Wrote The Prelude (see list of Writers of the Romantic Period (1785-1830))
- Poet Laureate of England, 1843-50 (see list of English Poets Laureate)
- William Butler Yeats (born 1865, died 1939)
Irish poet and playwright.
- 1923 Nobel Prize winner for Literature (see list of Winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature)
- Wrote ''''Sailing to Byzantium'''' (see list of Poets of the 20th Century)
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Teasing Nicknames:
- Hillbilly
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Battling Billy
In reference to William Wells, British heavyweight boxing champion.
- Billy Goat
- Willy Nilly
- Free Willy
- Billy Bob
- Wild Bill
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Alfalfa Bill
In reference to William H. Murray, Governor of Oklahoma (1929-1931). Oklahoma is one of the alfalfa-producing states.
- Billy the Kid
- Prince William
- Willy Wonka
- Wilbur (with a famous horse's voice)
- Big Bad Bill
- Sweet William
- Mister Bill
- Willy Lump Lump
- Chilly Willy
- Wee Willy
- Wee Willie Winky
- Buffalo Bill
- Silly Willy
- Billiam
- Billy the Pilly
- Willy Dilly Ding Dong
- willy wall flower
Meaning: Its source is wil helm, an Ancient Germanic name meaning "Determined protector."
Popularity: The name William ranked 1118th in popularity for females of all ages in a sample of the 1990 US Census.
Though this name has fluctuated in use, it has been quietly present throughout the last century.
This name is usually reserved for boys. In part, it could owe its position on the US Census popularity list to incorrectly filled-out census forms.
Narrative: The second element of the source phrase literally refers to a helmet.
None
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