| Henry | William | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Home ruler | Resolute protector |
| Origin | Germanic | Germanic |
| Gender | Boy | Boy |
| Pronunciation | HEN-ree | WIL-yum |
| Syllables | 2 | 2 |
| First appeared | 1880 | 1880 |
| Peak year | 2025 (12,020) | 1947 (67,002) |
| In 2025 | 12,020 | 10,545 |
| Trend | Near its peak | Declining |
Source: US Social Security Administration.
| Decade | Henry | William |
|---|---|---|
| 2020s | 68,047 | 68,067 |
| 2010s | 92,585 | 159,981 |
| 2000s | 42,760 | 194,415 |
| 1990s | 25,249 | 217,822 |
| 1980s | 20,728 | 248,277 |
| 1970s | 23,511 | 283,401 |
| 1960s | 39,134 | 421,433 |
| 1950s | 62,230 | 591,228 |
| 1940s | 72,488 | 556,478 |
| 1930s | 70,419 | 416,730 |
| 1920s | 104,552 | 512,402 |
| 1910s | 79,667 | 303,017 |
| 1900s | 21,772 | 69,320 |
| 1890s | 21,664 | 72,244 |
| 1880s | 24,139 | 84,881 |
Henry is a Germanic name meaning “home ruler,” from heim (“home”) and ric (“ruler”). It has been borne by eight English kings.
William is a Germanic name meaning “resolute protector,” from wil (“will, desire”) and helm (“helmet, protection”). William the Conqueror brought it to England in 1066, and it has been a royal staple ever since.
Henry is more popular than William today: about 12,020 US babies were given the name Henry in 2025, compared with 10,545 named William.
Henry means Home ruler (Germanic origin), while William means Resolute protector (Germanic origin).
In US records, Henry first appears in 1880 and William in 1880, so Henry has the longer recorded history.