# William

/ˈwɪɫjəm/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/william
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. male name

noun · CEFR A1

a common name for a man or boy.

For teachers: A masculine given name of Germanic origin, often shortened to Will, Bill, or Billy.

- My brother's name is William, but everyone calls him Will.
- William the Conqueror was the first Norman King of England, reigning from 1066 until his death in 1087.

### 2. surname

noun · CEFR B2

a family name or last name.

For teachers: A surname derived from the given name William.

- The author of the book is a woman named Sarah William.
- The legal documents were signed by a Mr. William, though the rest of his family used the more common plural form, Williams.

## Examples

- My brother's name is William.
- The history book mentions that William the Conqueror became the King of England in 1066.
- While the legal documents required his full name to be listed as William, he preferred to be addressed by his colleagues as Bill to maintain a more approachable professional atmosphere.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.