Boy

Willem

WIL-um

Rare & Uncommon ↑ Rising

✦ Meaning

“Dutch and Scandinavian form of William, derived from Germanic elements 'wil' (desire) and 'helm' (helmet/protection). Popular among Dutch royalty and carries an aristocratic European sensibility.”

Popularity Over Time

Willem US popularity rank over timeRank 5791 in 1978 to rank 1206 in 2003. Lower rank numbers are more popular.#1206#3499#5791191619401960198020002024

Willem is not currently in the US top 1000.

Origin

DutchGermanicScandinavian

Syllables

2

Nicknames

WilLiam

Style

ClassicElegantStrongTimeless

Famous Bearers

  • Willem Dafoe (actor)
  • Willem II of Orange (Dutch prince)

Collections

Works Everywhere → Beautiful But Not Top 100 → Old Money Names → Royal Names → Scandinavian Names → Two Syllables → Vintage Revival →

Similar Names

Jasper

Old French Beautiful But Not Top 100

Leander

Greek Rare & Uncommon

Caspian

Latin Beautiful But Not Top 100

Harrison

Germanic Beautiful But Not Top 100

Sibling Name Ideas

Leander

Greek Rare & Uncommon

Raffael

Hebrew Rare & Uncommon

Adrian

Latin Top 100

Jasper

Old French Beautiful But Not Top 100

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Cross-Cultural Notes

Works across Germanic, Dutch, and Scandinavian cultures; gaining traction in English-speaking countries

People Also Ask

Dutch and Scandinavian form of William, derived from Germanic elements 'wil' (desire) and 'helm' (helmet/protection). Popular among Dutch royalty and carries an aristocratic European sensibility.

Willem is not currently in the US top 1000, making it a genuinely rare choice. It's trending up as more parents discover it.

Popular nicknames for Willem include Wil, Liam.

Names that pair beautifully with Willem include Leander, Raffael, Adrian, Jasper.