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Name Origin

William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin, derived from the elements 'wil' meaning 'desire' or 'resolution' and 'helm' meaning 'helmet' or 'protection'. It traditionally signifies 'resolute protector' or 'determined warrior'.

germanicmasculinewarriorprotectorresolutedeterminedclassicpopular

Famous People

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Playwright, Poet, Actor

  • Considered the greatest writer in the English language
  • Authored renowned plays like Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth

William Wilberforce (1759-1833)

Politician, Philanthropist

  • Led the movement to abolish slavery in the British Empire
  • Key figure in the evangelical movement

William Henry Gates III (1955-)

Business Magnate, Software Developer, Philanthropist

  • Co-founder of Microsoft
  • One of the wealthiest people in the world
  • Philanthropic work through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

William Faulkner (1897-1962)

Novelist, Short Story Writer, Poet

  • Nobel Prize in Literature (1949)
  • Known for his complex novels set in the American South, like The Sound and the Fury and As I Lay Dying

William Golding (1911-1993)

Novelist, Poet, Playwright

  • Nobel Prize in Literature (1983)
  • Known for his novels exploring the darker aspects of human nature, like Lord of the Flies

William Wordsworth (1770-1850)

Poet

  • A major figure in the Romantic movement.
  • Co-authored *Lyrical Ballads*, a landmark collection of poems that helped launch Romanticism.

William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

Poet, Playwright

  • Won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1923.
  • A key figure in Irish Literary Revival.

William Shatner (1931-)

Actor, Author, Director

  • Known for his role as Captain James T. Kirk in the *Star Trek* franchise.
  • Prolific actor with a career spanning over six decades.