American Presidents: 4 presidents
William Henry Harrison   1841  
William McKinley   1897-1901  
William Howard Taft   1909-1913  
Bill Clinton   1993-2001  
Australian Prime Ministers: 3 prime ministers
Billy Hughes   1915-1923  
Arthur Fadden (middle name William)   1941  
William McMahon   1971-1972  
British Prime Ministers: 9 prime ministers
William Cavendish   1756-1757  
William Pitt the Elder   1766-1768  
William Petty   1782-1783  
William Pitt the Younger   1783-1801; 1804-1806  
William Grenville   1806-1807  
William Cavendish-Bentinck   1783; 1807-1809  
William Lamb   1834; 1835-1841  
William Ewart Gladstone   1868-1874; 1880-1885; 1886; 1892-1894  
David Cameron (middle name William)   2010-2016  
Canadian Prime Ministers: 1 prime minister
William Lyon Mackenzie King   1921-1926; 1926-1930; 1935-1948  
Emmy Award Winners: 5 actors
(actor) Bill Cosby   1966; 1967; 1968   I Spy  
(actor) William Windom   1970   My World and Welcome to It  
(actor) Tom Selleck (middle name William)   1984   Magnum, P.I.  
(actor) William Daniels   1985; 1986   St. Elsewhere  
(actor) Bill Hader   2018; 2019   Barry  
English and British Kings and Queens: 4 kings
King William I the Conqueror   1066-1087  
King William II Rufus   1087-1100  
King William III of Orange   1689-1702  
King William IV   1830-1837  
Fictional Characters from Books: 5 characters, 2 heroes, 1 villain
William Price   1814   Mansfield Park  
William Elliot   1818   Persuasion  
Bill Sikes   1838   Oliver Twist  
William Dobbin   1847   Vanity Fair  
William Brown   1922   Just William  
Billy Fisher   1959   Billy Liar  
Jack Frost (a.k.a. William)   1984   Frost at Christmas  
Bill Compton   2001   The Southern Vampire Mysteries  
Fictional Characters from Movies: 1 hero
Will Turner   2003   Pirates of the Caribbean  
Fictional Characters from Plays and Musicals: 2 characters
Willy Loman   1949   Death of a Salesman  
Billy Fisher   1974   Billy  
Fictional Characters from Song Titles: 2 characters
(character) William   1984   William, It Was Really Nothing  
(character) William   2009   William's Last Words  
Fictional Characters from Television: 27 characters, 1 hero
Bill Horton   1965   Days of Our Lives  
Jack Deveraux (a.k.a. William)   1965   Days of Our Lives  
Mike Horton (middle name William)   1965   Days of Our Lives  
Will Horton   1965   Days of Our Lives  
William Hodges   1968   Dad's Army  
Bill Spencer Sr.   1987   The Bold and the Beautiful  
Bill Spencer Jr.   1987   The Bold and the Beautiful  
Liam Spencer   1987   The Bold and the Beautiful  
Will Riker   1987   Star Trek: The Next Generation  
Will Smith   1990   The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air  
Randy Taylor (middle name William)   1991   Home Improvement  
Jack Frost (a.k.a. William)   1992   A Touch of Frost  
Fox Mulder (middle name William)   1993   The X-Files  
Will McCorkle   1994   Party of Five  
William   1994   William's Wish Wellingtons  
Bill Dauterive (a.k.a. William)   1997   King of the Hill  
Billy Thomas   1997   Ally McBeal  
Will Truman   1998   Will & Grace  
Will Tippin   2001   Alias  
William Rawls   2002   The Wire  
Sam Winchester (middle name William)   2005   Supernatural  
Will Pope   2005   The Closer  
Bill Henrickson   2006   Big Love  
Dell Parker (a.k.a. William)   2005; 2007   Grey's Anatomy; Private Practice  
Bill Compton   2008   True Blood  
William Bell   2008   Fringe  
Will Gardner   2009   The Good Wife  
Will Schuester   2009   Glee  
French Presidents and Prime Ministers: 1 prime minister
(prime minister) William Waddington   1879  
German Kings and Holy Roman Emperors: 1 king
King William of Holland   1247-1256  
Grammy Award Winners: 1 song of the year/record of the year/album of the year
(song of the year/record of the year/album of the year) Billy Joel   1979; 1980   Just the Way You Are; 52nd Street  
Hall-of-Famers: 14 baseball, 14 football, 11 basketball, 11 ice hockey
(baseball) Candy Cummings (a.k.a. William)   1939  
(baseball) Buck Ewing (a.k.a. William)   1939  
(baseball) Willie Keeler   1939  
(ice hockey) Hod Stuart (a.k.a. William)   1945  
(ice hockey) Bill Cook   1952  
(baseball) Harry Wright (a.k.a. William)   1953  
(baseball) Bill Terry   1954  
(baseball) Bill Dickey   1954  
(ice hockey) Sprague Cleghorn (middle name William)   1958  
(baseball) Billy Hamilton   1961  
(ice hockey) Billy McGimsie   1962  
(ice hockey) Riley Hern (a.k.a. William)   1962  
(baseball) Bill McKechnie   1962  
(football) William R. "Link" Lyman   1964  
(ice hockey) Bill Durnan   1964  
(ice hockey) Bill Mosienko   1965  
(football) Bill Dudley   1966  
(ice hockey) Bill Cowley   1968  
(ice hockey) Bill Gadsby   1970  
(baseball) Rube Marquard (middle name William)   1971  
(football) Bill Hewitt   1971  
(football) Bill George   1974  
(basketball) Bill Russell   1974  
(baseball) Judy Johnson (a.k.a. William)   1975  
(baseball) Billy Herman   1975  
(basketball) William "Skinny" Johnson   1976  
(football) Bill Willis   1977  
(basketball) Bill Bradley   1982  
(football) Willie Brown   1984  
(basketball) Billy Cunningham   1986  
(basketball) William "Pop" Gates   1989  
(football) Willie Wood   1989  
(ice hockey) Bill Barber   1990  
(football) Bill Walsh   1993  
(ice hockey) Billy Smith   1993  
(basketball) Bill Walton   1993  
(baseball) Bill Foster   1996  
(football) Billy Shaw   1999  
(baseball) Bill Mazeroski   2001  
(basketball) Bill Sharman   1975; 2004  
(baseball) Billy Southworth   2008  
(basketball) Bill Davidson   2008  
(football) Willie Roaf   2012  
(basketball) Bobby Leonard (a.k.a. William)   2014  
(football) Ray Guy (a.k.a. William)   2014  
(football) Bill Polian   2015  
(basketball) Bill Fitch   2019  
(football) Bill Cowher   2020  
(football) Bill Nunn   2021  
(basketball) Tony Parker (a.k.a. William)   2023  
Harry Potter Characters: 1 character
Bill Weasley  
Most Valuable Players: 4 winners
Bucky Walters (a.k.a. William)   1939   baseball  
Bill Cowley   1941; 1943   ice hockey  
Bill Russell   1958; 1961; 1962; 1963; 1965   basketball  
Bill Walton   1978   basketball  
New Zealand Prime Ministers: 5 prime ministers
William Fox   1856; 1861-1862; 1869-1872; 1873  
William Hall-Jones   1906  
William Massey   1912-1925  
George Forbes (middle name William)   1930-1935  
Bill English   2016-2017  
Nobel Prize Winners: 8 chemistry, 7 economics, 6 physics, 4 medicine, 3 literature, 1 peace
(peace) Randal Cremer (a.k.a. William)   1903  
(physics) John Strutt, Lord Rayleigh (middle name William)   1904  
(chemistry) William Ramsay   1904  
(chemistry) Theodore William Richards   1914  
(physics) William Henry Bragg   1915  
(physics) William Lawrence Bragg   1915  
(chemistry) Francis William Aston   1922  
(literature) William Butler Yeats   1923  
(medicine) William P. Murphy   1934  
(chemistry) William Giauque   1949  
(literature) William Faulkner   1949  
(physics) William Shockley   1956  
(chemistry) William Howard Stein   1972  
(chemistry) William Lipscomb   1976  
(economics) Theodore Schultz (middle name William)   1979  
(economics) Arthur Lewis (a.k.a. William)   1979  
(physics) William Alfred Fowler   1983  
(literature) William Golding   1983  
(economics) William F. Sharpe   1990  
(economics) Robert Fogel (middle name William)   1993  
(economics) William Vickrey   1996  
(physics) William Daniel Phillips   1997  
(chemistry) William Standish Knowles   2001  
(economics) Clive Granger (middle name William)   2003  
(medicine) Jack W. Szostak (middle name William)   2009  
(chemistry) William E. Moerner   2014  
(medicine) William C. Campbell   2015  
(economics) William Nordhaus   2018  
(medicine) William Kaelin Jr.   2019  
Notable Activists and Revolutionaries: 2 revolutionaries
(revolutionary) William Wallace   c. 1270-1305  
(revolutionary) Willem of Orange (a.k.a. William)   1533-1584  
Notable Actors and Entertainers: 148 actors, 5 actor/comedians, 3 comedians, 2 presenters, 2 reality stars, 1 actor/entertainer, 1 comedian/actor, 1 entertainer, 1 youtuber
"Buffalo" Bill Cody   1846-1917  
William Desmond Taylor   1872-1922  
Will Rogers   1879-1935  
King Baggot (a.k.a. William)   1879-1948  
W. C. Fields (a.k.a. William)   1880-1946  
True Boardman (a.k.a. William)   1882-1918  
Billie Burke   1884-1970  
Lionel Atwill (middle name William)   1885-1946  
William Frawley   1887-1966  
Raymond Hatton (middle name William)   1887-1971  
Claude Rains (a.k.a. William)   1889-1967  
Robert Armstrong (middle name William)   1890-1973  
Wallace Reid (a.k.a. William)   1891-1923  
William Demarest   1892-1983  
William Powell   1892-1984  
Gareth Hughes (a.k.a. William)   1894-1965  
Warren William (middle name William)   1894-1948  
Bud Abbott (a.k.a. William)   1897-1974  
Lee Tracy (a.k.a. William)   1898-1968  
Pat O'Brien (a.k.a. William)   1899-1983  
Clark Gable (a.k.a. William)   1901-1960  
Brian Aherne (a.k.a. William)   1902-1986  
Edgar Buchanan (a.k.a. William)   1903-1979  
William Gargan   1905-1979  
William Bendix   1906-1964  
William Hartnell   1908-1975  
Chips Rafferty (middle name William)   1909-1971  
Leif Erickson (a.k.a. William)   1911-1986  
William Lundigan   1914-1975  
William Hopper   1915-1970  
Dabbs Greer (middle name William)   1917-2007  
Robert Sterling (a.k.a. William)   1917-2006  
William Holden   1918-1981  
Richard Farnsworth (middle name William)   1920-2000  
Jack Elam (a.k.a. William)   1920-2003  
Bill Travers   1922-1994  
Darren McGavin (a.k.a. William)   1922-2006  
William Schallert   1922-2016  
William Windom   1923-2012  
Bob Barker (middle name William)   1923-2023  
Dennis Weaver (a.k.a. William)   1924-2006  
Billy Barty (a.k.a. William)   1924-2000  
Bill Hayes   1925-2024  
Jerry Paris (a.k.a. William)   1925-1986  
Johnny Carson (middle name William)   1925-2005  
Leslie Nielsen (middle name William)   1926-2010  
William Daniels   1927-  
Bill Daily   1927-2018  
William Hickey   1927-1997  
Stanley Baker (a.k.a. William)   1928-1976  
Adam West (a.k.a. William)   1928-2017  
Clu Gulager (a.k.a. William)   1928-2022  
Ronnie Barker (middle name William)   1929-2005  
William Shatner   1931-  
Stephen Boyd (a.k.a. William)   1931-1977  
William Smith   1933-2021  
Wayne Rogers (a.k.a. William)   1933-2015  
Will Sampson   1933-1987  
Jeremy Brett (middle name William)   1933-1995  
Bill Cobbs   1934-  
James Stacy (middle name William)   1936-2016  
William Gaunt   1937-  
Billy Dee Williams (a.k.a. William)   1937-  
Bill Cosby   1937-  
James Fox (a.k.a. William)   1939-  
Corin Redgrave (middle name William)   1939-2010  
William Devane   1939-  
William Lucking   1941-2021  
Scott Wilson (a.k.a. William)   1942-2018  
Billy Connolly   1942-  
Peter Mayhew (middle name William)   1944-2019  
G. W. Bailey (middle name William)   1944-  
Tom Selleck (middle name William)   1945-  
Bill Paterson   1945-  
Pete Postlethwaite (middle name William)   1946-2011  
Bill Smitrovich (a.k.a. William)   1947-  
William Atherton   1947-  
Dwight Schultz (a.k.a. William)   1947-  
Ted Lange (middle name William)   1948-  
Billy Crystal   1948-  
Dave Thomas (middle name William)   1948-  
Anson Williams (middle name William)   1949-  
Caitlyn Jenner (a.k.a. William)   1949-  
Bill Nighy   1949-  
William H. Macy   1950-  
William Hurt   1950-2022  
William Sadler   1950-  
Bill Murray   1950-  
Jeff Conaway (middle name William)   1950-2011  
William Russ   1950-  
William Katt   1951-  
Bill Moseley   1951-  
Liam Neeson   1952-  
William Petersen   1953-  
Bill Nunn   1953-2016  
Roger Allam (middle name William)   1953-  
Bill Pullman   1953-  
James Remar (a.k.a. William)   1953-  
Will Patton   1954-  
William Hope   1955-  
Bill Paxton   1955-2017  
William Forsythe   1955-  
William Fichtner   1956-  
Richard Burgi (middle name William)   1958-  
Billy Campbell   1959-  
Willie Aames (middle name William)   1960-  
Billy Warlock (a.k.a. William)   1961-  
William Baldwin   1963-  
W. Earl Brown (a.k.a. William)   1963-  
William Shockley   1963-  
Brad Pitt (a.k.a. William)   1963-  
Linus Roache (middle name William)   1964-  
Willie Garson (a.k.a. William)   1964-2021  
Todd Field (a.k.a. William)   1964-  
James Nesbitt (a.k.a. William)   1965-  
William McNamara   1965-  
Peter Krause (middle name William)   1965-  
William Zabka   1965-  
Billy Zane   1966-  
Billy Burke   1966-  
Will Ferrell   1967-  
Bill Burr   1968-  
Billy Crudup   1968-  
Julian McMahon (middle name William)   1968-  
Billy Boyd   1968-  
John DiMaggio (middle name William)   1968-  
Naveen Andrews (middle name William)   1969-  
Jon Huertas (middle name William)   1969-  
Will Keen   1970-  
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (middle name William)   1970-  
Josh Hopkins (a.k.a. William)   1970-  
Rupert Penry-Jones (middle name William)   1970-  
Rob Corddry (middle name William)   1971-  
Dylan Moran (middle name William)   1971-  
Wil Wheaton   1972-  
Paul Walker (middle name William)   1973-2013  
Will Sasso   1975-  
Will Friedle   1976-  
Seann William Scott   1976-  
James Van Der Beek (middle name William)   1977-  
Matthew Goode (middle name William)   1978-  
Bill Hader   1978-  
Will Estes (a.k.a. William)   1978-  
Matthew Lawrence (middle name William)   1980-  
William Levy   1980-  
Jonas Armstrong (a.k.a. William)   1981-  
Tom Hiddleston (middle name William)   1981-  
Rupert Friend (middle name William)   1981-  
Jason Dohring (middle name William)   1982-  
Kyle Soller (middle name William)   1983-  
Spencer Pratt (middle name William)   1983-  
Dane DeHaan (middle name William)   c. 1985-  
Billy Magnussen   1985-  
Will Peltz   1986-  
William Moseley   1987-  
Beau Mirchoff (a.k.a. William)   1989-  
Seán William "Jacksepticeye" McLoughlin   1990-  
Jeremy Irvine (middle name William)   1990-  
Jonathan Lipnicki (middle name William)   1990-  
Will Poulter   1993-  
Connor Jessup (middle name William)   1994-  
Owen Teague (middle name William)   1998-  
Isaac Hempstead-Wright (middle name William)   1999-  
Joe Locke (middle name William)   2003-  
Notable Artists: 7 painters, 3 cartoonists, 1 artist, 1 game designer
William Hogarth   1697-1764  
William Blake   1757-1827  
J. M. W. Turner (middle name William)   1775-1851  
William-Adolphe Bouguereau   1825-1905  
William Holman Hunt   1827-1910  
William Morris   1834-1896  
John William Waterhouse   1849-1917  
John William Godward   1861-1922  
William Hanna   1910-2001  
Will Eisner   1917-2005  
Bill Watterson   1958-  
Will Wright   1960-  
Notable Athletes: 9 rugby, 6 ice hockey, 6 soccer, 5 basketball, 3 baseball, 2 boxing, 2 driving, 2 football, 2 tennis, 1 cricket, 1 golf, 1 handball, 1 track, 1 wrestling
(cricket) W. G. Grace (a.k.a. William)   1848-1915  
(baseball) Willie Keeler   1872-1923  
(ice hockey) Hod Stuart (a.k.a. William)   1879-1907  
(tennis) Bill Tilden   1893-1953  
(boxing) Jack Dempsey (a.k.a. William)   1895-1983  
(ice hockey) Bill Cook   1896-1986  
(baseball) Bill Dickey   1907-1993  
(golf) Ben Hogan (a.k.a. William)   1912-1997  
(ice hockey) Bill Durnan   1916-1972  
(basketball) Bill Sharman   1926-2013  
(ice hockey) Bill Gadsby   1927-2016  
(basketball) Bill Russell   1934-2022  
(baseball) Bill Mazeroski   1936-  
(football) Willie Wood   1936-2020  
(driving) Chris Bristow (middle name William)   1937-1960  
(soccer) Billy McNeill   1940-2019  
(basketball) Billy Cunningham   1943-  
(basketball) Bill Bradley   1943-  
(boxing) Joe Frazier (middle name William)   1944-2011  
(track) Caitlyn Jenner (a.k.a. William)   1949-  
(football) Ray Guy (a.k.a. William)   1949-2022  
(ice hockey) Billy Smith   1950-  
(ice hockey) Bill Barber   1952-  
(basketball) Bill Walton   1952-  
(rugby) Steve Hansen (middle name William)   1959-  
(wrestling) Mark William "The Undertaker" Calaway   1965-  
(soccer) Liam Miller (middle name William)   1981-2018  
(rugby) Dan Carter (middle name William)   1982-  
(rugby) Mike Phillips (a.k.a. William)   1982-  
(rugby) Wyatt Crockett (middle name William)   1983-  
(soccer) Alex Wilkinson (middle name William)   1984-  
(rugby) James Hook (middle name William)   1985-  
(rugby) Sonny Bill Williams   1985-  
(soccer) Edwin Hernández (middle name William)   1986-  
(rugby) Will Genia   1988-  
(handball) William Accambray   1988-  
(tennis) John Peers (middle name William)   1988-  
(rugby) Gareth Anscombe (middle name William)   1991-  
(driving) Will Stevens   1991-  
(soccer) Will Grigg   1991-  
(soccer) William Carvalho   1992-  
(rugby) Will Skelton   1992-  
Notable Businesspeople: 12 businesspersons
William Backhouse Astor Sr.   1792-1875  
William Backhouse Astor Jr.   1829-1892  
William A. Clark Sr.   1839-1925  
Will Keith Kellogg   1860-1951  
William C. Durant   1861-1947  
William Randolph Hearst   1863-1951  
William S. Harley   1880-1943  
William E. Boeing   1881-1956  
Bill Hewlett   1913-2001  
William Rosenberg   1916-2002  
Barron Hilton (a.k.a. William)   1927-2019  
Bill Gates   1955-  
Notable Evildoers: 1 criminal, 1 pirate
William Kidd   1645-1701  
Billy "the Kid" Bonney   1859-1881  
Notable Explorers and Adventurers: 8 explorers
Willem Barentsz (a.k.a. William)   1550-1597  
William Adams   1564-1620  
William Baffin   1584-1622  
William Dampier   1651-1715  
William Clark   1770-1838  
William Hovell   1786-1875  
William Edward Parry   1790-1855  
Bill Tilman   1898-1977  
Notable Filmmakers: 6 directors, 1 director/screenwriter, 1 screenwriter, 1 screenwriter/director
William Desmond Taylor   1872-1922  
King Baggot (a.k.a. William)   1879-1948  
William Wyler   1902-1981  
William Hanna   1910-2001  
William Peter Blatty   1928-2017  
Ted Kotcheff (a.k.a. William)   1931-  
William Friedkin   1935-2023  
Todd Field (a.k.a. William)   1964-  
Paul W. S. Anderson (middle name William)   1965-  
Notable Journalists: 1 journalist, 1 photojournalist
(journalist) W. T. Stead (a.k.a. William)   1849-1912  
(photojournalist) W. Eugene Smith (a.k.a. William)   1918-1978  
Notable Military Figures: 2 admirals, 2 commanders, 1 general
William I the Conqueror   c. 1028-1087  
William Wallace   c. 1270-1305  
William Tecumseh Sherman   1820-1891  
William D. Leahy   1875-1959  
Chester W. Nimitz (middle name William)   1885-1966  
Notable Musicians: 19 musicians, 7 singers, 2 composers
Edward Elgar (middle name William)   1857-1934  
Willie "The Lion" Smith   1893-1973  
William Grant Still   1895-1978  
Willie Smith   1910-1967  
Bill Monroe   1911-1996  
Bill Haley   1925-1981  
John Coltrane (middle name William)   1926-1967  
"Little" Willie John   1937-1968  
Bill Withers   1938-2020  
William "Smokey" Robinson Jr.   1940-  
Billy Swan   1942-  
Boz Scaggs (a.k.a. William)   1944-  
Billy Preston   1946-2006  
Dan McCafferty (a.k.a. William)   1946-2022  
Pete Ham (middle name William)   1947-1975  
Billy Joel   1949-  
Billy Gibbons   1949-  
William "Bootsy" Collins   1951-  
Billy Idol (a.k.a. William)   1955-  
Axl Rose (a.k.a. William)   1962-  
"Bushwick" Bill   1966-2019  
Billy Corgan   1967-  
Fred Durst (a.k.a. William)   1970-  
Liam Gallagher   1972-  
Will.i.am   1975-  
Will Champion   1978-  
William "DJ Snake" Grigahcine   1986-  
Louis Tomlinson (middle name William)   1991-  
Notable Philosophers and Thinkers: 1 philosopher, 1 psychologist
William of Ockham   c. 1287-1347  
William James   1842-1910  
Notable Politicians and Statespeople: 5 politicians
William R. King   1786-1853  
William A. Wheeler   1819-1887  
William A. Clark Sr.   1839-1925  
William Randolph Hearst   1863-1951  
Alben W. Barkley (middle name William)   1877-1956  
Notable Scientists and Inventors: 10 physicists, 3 astronomers, 3 chemists, 2 inventors, 1 biologist, 1 chemist/physicist
William Gilbert   1544-1603  
William Harvey   1578-1657  
William Herschel   1738-1822  
William Hyde Wollaston   1766-1828  
Henry Fox Talbot (a.k.a. William)   1800-1877  
William Rowan Hamilton   1805-1865  
William Huggins   1824-1910  
William Thomson   1824-1907  
John Strutt, Lord Rayleigh (middle name William)   1842-1919  
William Ramsay   1852-1916  
William Henry Pickering   1858-1938  
William Henry Bragg   1862-1942  
Theodore William Richards   1868-1928  
William G. Morgan   1870-1942  
Francis William Aston   1877-1945  
William Lawrence Bragg   1890-1971  
William Shockley   1910-1989  
William Alfred Fowler   1911-1995  
Stephen Hawking (middle name William)   1942-2018  
William Daniel Phillips   1948-  
Notable Writers: 15 authors, 3 poets, 2 author/poets, 1 author/essayist, 1 author/playwright, 1 playwright/poet
William Shakespeare   1564-1616  
William Blake   1757-1827  
William Wordsworth   1770-1850  
William Makepeace Thackeray   1811-1863  
O. Henry (a.k.a. William)   1862-1910  
William Butler Yeats   1865-1939  
W. Somerset Maugham (a.k.a. William)   1874-1965  
William Stanley Braithwaite   1878-1962  
William Carlos Williams   1883-1963  
William Faulkner   1897-1962  
William Golding   1911-1993  
John Cheever (middle name William)   1912-1982  
William S. Burroughs   1914-1997  
William Styron   1925-2006  
William Wharton   1925-2008  
William Peter Blatty   1928-2017  
William Trevor   1928-2016  
John Jakes (middle name William)   1932-2023  
W. P. Kinsella (a.k.a. William)   1935-2016  
Jack Ketchum (middle name William)   1946-2018  
William Gibson   1948-  
William Boyd   1952-  
W. Bruce Cameron (a.k.a. William)   1960-  
Olympic Medalists: 51 gold, 29 bronze, 24 silver, 4 gold/silver, 3 gold/bronze, 2 bronze/gold, 2 bronze/silver, 1 silver/gold
(gold) William Hoyt   1896   pole vault  
(bronze) Bill Burgess   1900   water polo  
(silver) Bill Holland   1900   400 m  
(silver) William Clark   1904   archery - team round  
(gold/bronze) William Thompson   1904   archery - American round; archery - team round; archery - York round  
(gold) Louis W. Maxson (middle name William)   1904   archery - team round  
(gold) William Dickey   1904   diving - plunge for distance  
(bronze) William Merz   1904   triathlon  
(silver) Wesley Coe Jr (middle name William)   1904   shot put  
(silver) Fred Englehardt (middle name William)   1904   triple jump  
(gold) Frederick Schule (middle name William)   1904   110 m hurdles  
(silver) John Grieb (middle name William)   1904   triathlon  
(bronze) William R. Orthwein   1904   swimming - 4x50 yard freestyle relay  
(silver) Bill Tuttle   1904   swimming - 4x50 yard freestyle relay  
(silver) Frank Verner (a.k.a. William)   1904   1500 m; 4 mile team  
(bronze) Emil Breitkreutz (middle name William)   1904   800 m  
(bronze/silver) William Hogenson   1904   100 m; 200 m; 60 m  
(gold) William Dod   1908   archery - York round  
(silver) William Robinson   1908   swimming - 200 m breaststroke  
(gold) William Hamilton   1908   medley relay  
(bronze) George Gaidzik (middle name William)   1908   diving - springboard  
(gold) William Coales   1908   3 mile team  
(bronze) William Halpenny   1912   pole vault  
(bronze) Martin Hawkins (middle name William)   1912   110 m hurdles  
(bronze) Joe Cottrill (a.k.a. William)   1912   3000 m team  
(silver) Christian Gitsham (middle name William)   1912   marathon  
(bronze) George Hutson (middle name William)   1912   3000 m team; 5000 m  
(bronze) William Moore   1912   3000 m team  
(bronze/gold) Willie Applegarth   1912   200 m; 4x100 m relay  
(gold/bronze) William Foster   1908; 1912   swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay  
(gold) William Henry Dean   1920   water polo  
(gold) William Peacock   1920   water polo  
(silver) Earl Eby (middle name William)   1920   800 m  
(bronze/gold) William Petersson   1920   4x100 m relay; long jump  
(bronze) Bill Harris   1920   swimming - 100 m freestyle  
(silver) William Herald   1920   swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay  
(bronze) Joie Ray (middle name William)   1924   3000 m team  
(gold) Nick Winter (middle name William)   1924   triple jump  
(gold) Beattie Ramsay (a.k.a. William)   1924   ice hockey  
(silver) William Seagrove   1920; 1924   3000 m team  
(gold/silver) Charley Paddock (middle name William)   1920; 1924   100 m; 4x100 m relay; 200 m  
(gold) William Stevenson   1924   4x400 m relay  
(silver) Wilfred Nichol (a.k.a. William)   1924   4x100 m relay  
(bronze) Bill Kirschbaum   1924   swimming - 200 m breaststroke  
(gold) DeHart Hubbard (a.k.a. William)   1924   long jump  
(bronze) Bill Cox   1924   3000 m team  
(bronze) Cyril Gill (middle name William)   1928   4x100 m relay  
(gold) Sabin Carr (middle name William)   1928   pole vault  
(silver) William Droegemueller   1928   pole vault  
(gold) Tommy Green (middle name William)   1932   50 km walk  
(gold) Ivan Fuqua (middle name William)   1932   4x400 m relay  
(gold) Bill Carr   1932   400 m; 4x400 m relay  
(gold) Bill Miller   1932   pole vault  
(gold) Bill Wheatley   1936   basketball  
(gold) Bill Roberts   1936   4x400 m relay  
(gold) Ken Carpenter (a.k.a. William)   1936   discus throw  
(gold) Ran Laurie (a.k.a. William)   1948   rowing  
(gold) Lew Beck (middle name William)   1948   basketball  
(gold) Willie Steele   1948   long jump  
(silver) Bill Bruce   1948   long jump  
(gold) Bill Smith Jr.   1948   swimming - 400 m freestyle; swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay  
(gold) Bill Porter   1948   110 m hurdles  
(gold) Harrison "Bones" Dillard (a.k.a. William)   1948; 1952   100 m; 110 m hurdles; 4x100 m relay  
(gold/silver) Andy Stanfield (middle name William)   1952; 1956   200 m; 4x100 m relay  
(gold) William Smith   1952   freestyle wrestling  
(gold) Bill Lienhard   1952   basketball  
(silver) Bill Miller   1952   javelin throw  
(gold) Chris Brasher (middle name William)   1956   3000 m steeplechase  
(gold) Bill Hougland   1952; 1956   basketball  
(gold) Billy Evans   1956   basketball  
(gold) Jesse Mashburn (middle name William)   1956   4x400 m relay  
(gold) William Albert Yorzyk Jr.   1956   swimming - 200 m butterfly  
(gold) Tom Courtney (middle name William)   1956   4x400 m relay; 800 m  
(gold) Bill Russell   1956   basketball  
(gold/silver) Bill Woolsey   1952; 1956   swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay  
(bronze) Dave Power (middle name William)   1960   10000 m  
(gold/silver) Parry O'Brien (a.k.a. William)   1952; 1956; 1960   shot put  
(silver/gold) Bill Nieder   1956; 1960   shot put  
(silver) Dave Sime (middle name William)   1960   100 m  
(silver) Willie May   1960   110 m hurdles  
(gold) Bill Mulliken   1960   swimming - 200 m breaststroke  
(gold) Paul Hait (middle name William)   1960   swimming - 4x100 m medley relay  
(bronze) Bill Dellinger   1964   5000 m  
(bronze) Ron Clarke (middle name William)   1964   10000 m  
(gold) Billy Mills   1964   10000 m  
(silver) Bill Crothers   1964   800 m  
(gold) Bill Bradley   1964   basketball  
(gold) Bill Craig   1964   swimming - 4x100 m medley relay  
(gold) Dick Roth (middle name William)   1964   swimming - 400 m medley  
(gold) Bill Toomey   1968   decathlon  
(bronze) Steven Barnett (middle name William)   1972   water polo  
(bronze) Bill Schmidt   1972   javelin throw  
(bronze) Bill Mahony   1972   swimming - 4x100 m medley relay  
(silver) Ed Ratleff (a.k.a. William)   1972   basketball  
(gold/bronze) Willie D. Davenport   1968; 1976   110 m hurdles  
(gold) Caitlyn Jenner (a.k.a. William)   1976   decathlon  
(gold) Quinn Buckner (a.k.a. William)   1976   basketball  
(bronze) Bill Forrester   1976   swimming - 200 m butterfly  
(silver) Bobby Hackett (middle name William)   1976   swimming - 1500 m freestyle  
(gold) Buzz Schneider (a.k.a. William)   1980   ice hockey  
(gold) Joe Kleine (middle name William)   1984   basketball  
(bronze) Willie Anderson   1988   basketball  
(gold) William Tanui   1992   800 m  
(bronze) William Mutwol   1992   3000 m steeplechase  
(bronze) Brent Hilliard (middle name William)   1992   volleyball  
(bronze) Billy Koch   1996   baseball  
(gold) Bill Kirby   2000   swimming - 4x200 m freestyle relay  
(silver) John Steffensen (middle name William)   2004   4x400 m relay  
(bronze) Dexter Fowler (a.k.a. William)   2008   baseball  
(gold) Reid Priddy (a.k.a. William)   2009   volleyball  
(bronze/silver) William Fox-Pitt   2004; 2008; 2012   equestrian  
(gold) William Accambray   2012   handball  
(bronze) William Satch   2012   rowing  
(silver) Loui Eriksson (middle name William)   2014   ice hockey  
(bronze) Matthew Dellavedova (middle name William)   2020   basketball  
(silver) Petr Cornelie (middle name William)   2020   basketball  
Oscar Award Winners: 4 actors, 2 directors
(actor) Clark Gable (a.k.a. William)   1935   It Happened One Night  
(actor) William Holden   1954   Stalag 17  
(director) William Wyler   1943; 1947; 1960   Mrs. Miniver; The Best Years of Our Lives; Ben-Hur  
(director) William Friedkin   1972   The French Connection  
(actor) William Hurt   1986   Kiss of the Spider Woman  
(actor) Brad Pitt (a.k.a. William)   2020   Once Upon a Time in Hollywood  
Other Leaders: 1 president, 1 prime minister
Prime Minister Alexander Bustamante (a.k.a. William)   1962-1967   Jamaica  
President Benjamin Mkapa (middle name William)   1995-2005   Tanzania  
Other Religious Leaders: 2 leaders
Billy Graham (a.k.a. William)     Southern Baptist Convention  
Howard W. Hunter (middle name William)   1994-1995   The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints  
Other Royalty: 14 princes, 7 kings, 1 emperor/king, 1 grand duke, 1 king/emperor
Willem of Orange (a.k.a. William)   1544-1584   Orange  
Friedrich Wilhelm I (middle name William)   1713-1740   Prussia  
August Wilhelm of Prussia (middle name William)   1722-1758   Prussia  
August of Prussia (middle name William)   1779-1843   Prussia  
Friedrich Wilhelm II of Prussia (middle name William)   1786-1797   Prussia  
Friedrich of Prussia (middle name William)   1794-1863   Prussia  
Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia (middle name William)   1797-1840   Prussia  
Willem I of the Netherlands (a.k.a. William)   1815-1840   Netherlands  
Georg of Prussia (middle name William)   1826-1902   Prussia  
Friedrich Wilhelm IV of Prussia (middle name William)   1840-1861   Prussia  
Willem II of the Netherlands (a.k.a. William)   1840-1849   Netherlands  
Willem, Prince of Orange (a.k.a. William)   1849-1879   Netherlands  
Willem III of the Netherlands (a.k.a. William)   1849-1890   Netherlands  
Arthur, Duke of Connaught and Strathearn (middle name William)   1850-1942   United Kingdom  
Heinrich of Prussia (middle name William)   1862-1929   Prussia  
Wilhelm I (a.k.a. William)   1861-1888; 1871-1888   Prussia; German Empire  
Alfred, Hereditary Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (middle name William)   1874-1893   United Kingdom  
Wilhelm II (a.k.a. William)   1888-1918   German Empire; Prussia  
Henry, Duke of Gloucester (middle name William)   1900-1974   United Kingdom  
William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg   1905-1912   Luxembourg  
Friedrich of Prussia (middle name William)   1911-1966   Prussia  
William of Gloucester   1941-1972   United Kingdom  
William, Prince of Wales   1982-   United Kingdom  
Nikolai of Denmark (middle name William)   1999-2023   Denmark  
Pulitzer Award Winners: 4 literatures
(literature) William Faulkner   1954; 1963   A Fable; The Reivers  
(literature) William Styron   1968   The Confessions of Nat Turner  
(literature) John Cheever (middle name William)   1979   The Stories of John Cheever  
(literature) William Kennedy   1984   Ironweed  
Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famers: 23 musicians
Bill Haley   1987     
William "Smokey" Robinson Jr.   1987     
Bill Wyman (a.k.a. William)   1989   The Rolling Stones  
Bill Kreutzmann   1994   The Grateful Dead  
"Little" Willie John   1996     
William Guest   1996   Gladys Knight & the Pips  
Billy "Bass" Nelson   1997   Parliament-Funkadelic  
William "Bootsy" Collins   1997   Parliament-Funkadelic  
Don Felder (middle name William)   1998   The Eagles  
Billy Joel   1999     
Johnny Ramone (middle name William)   2002   The Ramones  
Bill Medley   2003   The Righteous Brothers  
Billy Gibbons   2004   ZZ Top  
William Powell   2005   The O'Jays  
Bill Ward   2006   Black Sabbath  
Billy Powell   2006   Lynyrd Skynyrd  
Bill Berry   2007   R.E.M.  
Axl Rose (a.k.a. William)   2012   Guns N' Roses  
William Jonathan "Flavor Flav" Drayton Jr.   2013   Public Enemy  
Bill Withers   2015     
Bill Bruford   2017   Yes  
Bill Legend (a.k.a. William)   2020   T. Rex  
Billy Henderson   2023   The Spinners  
Saints: 39 blessed, 12 saints
Saint William of Gellone   ?-812  
Saint William of Volpiano   962-1031  
Saint William Firmatus   1026-1103  
Saint William of Penacorada   ?-1042  
Saint William   ?-1067  
Saint William of Vercelli   1085-1142  
Blessed William of Hirsau   ?-1091  
Saint William of Eskhill   1125-1203  
Saint William Breteuil   ?-1130  
Saint William of Bourges   1149-1209  
Saint William   ?-1154  
Blessed William of Maleval   ?-1157  
Saint William Pinchon   1175-1234  
Saint William of Pontoise   ?-1192  
Blessed William Tempier   ?-1197  
Blessed William of Fenoli   ?-1205  
Blessed William of Brussels   ?-1237  
Blessed William Arnaud   ?-1242  
Blessed Guillaume of Toulouse (a.k.a. William)   1297-1369  
Blessed William Exmew   ?-1535  
Blessed William Greenwood   ?-1537  
Blessed William Horne   ?-1540  
Blessed William Carter   1548-1584  
Blessed Guillaume Saultemouche (a.k.a. William)   1555-1593  
Blessed William Freeman   1558-1595  
Blessed William Thomson   1560-1586  
Blessed William Harrington   1566-1594  
Blessed William Ward   1568-1641  
Blessed William Southerne   1579-1618  
Blessed William Filby   ?-1582  
Blessed William Lacey   ?-1582  
Blessed William Hart   ?-1583  
Blessed William Marsden   ?-1586  
Blessed William Dean   ?-1588  
Blessed William Gunter   ?-1588  
Blessed William Hartley   ?-1588  
Blessed William Way   ?-1588  
Blessed William Spenser   ?-1589  
Blessed William Pike   ?-1591  
Blessed William Patenson   ?-1592  
Blessed William Davies   ?-1593  
Blessed William Andleby   ?-1597  
Blessed William Richardson   ?-1603  
Blessed William Browne   ?-1605  
Blessed William Tirry   1608-1654  
Blessed Maurus Scott (a.k.a. William)   ?-1612  
Blessed William Howard   1614-1680  
Blessed William Ireland   1636-1679  
Blessed John Plessington (a.k.a. William)   1637-1679  
Blessed William Barrow   ?-1679  
Blessed Guillaume-Joseph Chaminade (a.k.a. William)   1761-1850  
Scottish Kings and Queens: 2 kings
King William I the Lion   1165-1214  
King William III of Orange   1689-1702  
Shakespearian Characters: 14 characters
William   As You Like It  
Sir William Glansdale   Henry VI (1)  
Sir William Lucy   Henry VI (1)  
William Page   The Merry Wives of Windsor  
Lord William Willoughby   Richard II  
Bagot (a.k.a. William)   Richard II  
Lord Ross (a.k.a. William)   Richard II  
Lord Hastings (a.k.a. William)   Henry VI (3); Richard III  
Sir William Stanley   Henry VI (3)  
William Stafford   Henry VI (2)  
Sir William Catesby   Richard III  
Sir William Brandon   Richard III  
Sir William Sands   Henry VIII  
Doctor Butts (a.k.a. William)   Henry VIII