William

William comes from the Old French name Williaume, itself derived from the Germanic elements wil, meaning will or desire, and helm, meaning helmet or protection, giving the overall sense of resolute protector. The name was brought to England by the Normans and famously borne by William the Conqueror, whose victory at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 made it one of the most common names in medieval England. It has remained consistently popular in the English-speaking world for nearly a thousand years and is associated with figures such as William Shakespeare and multiple British kings. Cognates and variants include Wilhelm, Guillaume, Guillermo, Liam, Bill, and Will.