William in French is written as Guillaume. It is pronounced as g-ee-y-oh-m.
• Origins of the name William
The name William is of old Germanic origin, and became a popular English name after the Norman conquest of England in 1066. It is one of the most popular names for boys in the United Kingdom, and is the fifth most popular boys' first name in the United States.
• French version
The French version, Guillaume, is simply a French pronunciation of the English version of the word. The name is a very popular one amongst boys in many French-speaking countries.
• Famous Williams from the past
There have been many famous Williams throughout history and the most well known of these are William Shakespeare, the English playwright; William Wordsworth, the English poet, and William the Conqueror, the first Norman King of England, who inspired the popularity of the name. One of the most famous French people called Guillaume is Guillaume de Machaut, who was a poet and composer in medieval France.
• Famous Williams - current
In modern times, many well-known Williams are known as Bill, one of the derivatives of the name. One example is Bill Cosby, the American comedian and actor, who is most famous for his role in The Cosby Show, an American television show from the 1980's. Even more well-known are Bill Clinton, the 42nd president of the United States, and Bill Gates, the multi-million founder and owner of the software company, Microsoft.
