The meaning of the name William is Strong-willed Warrior. The origin of the name William is English. This is the culture in which the name originated, or in the case of a word, the language. The name William has never really gone out of style, remaining one of the most popular given names for boys in the last 100 years. The name is an English variation of the German name Wilhelm. Common nicknames for the name William include Will, Willie, Bill, Billy, and Liam. William has been historically abbreviated as Wm.