gender neutral
Billy
resolute protector, determined guardian
About Billy
Billy radiates friendly, approachable energy that instantly puts people at ease. This name eschews formality in favor of warmth and authenticity, perfect for families who value genuine connection over pretense. Despite its casual sound, Billy has proven its versatility across all life stages and professional contexts. The double consonant creates a bouncy, cheerful quality that reflects optimism and good nature. Parents drawn to Billy often appreciate its everyman appeal, suggesting someone down-to-earth and relatable. The name carries American cultural touchstones from music to literature, providing rich associations without heavy baggage. Billy works independently rather than as a diminutive, giving children ownership of their identity from the start. The name's informality becomes its strength, avoiding the stuffiness sometimes associated with more formal choices. Children named Billy often embody the friendliness their name projects, finding it easy to make connections and build relationships. Billy proves that simple names can carry profound impact, demonstrating that charm and memorability need not rely on complexity or trend-chasing.
Popularity of the Name Billy
Rank among the 1,000 most popular baby names, by year.
| United States | United Kingdom | New Zealand | Ireland | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | #753 | ||||
| 1881 | #794 | ||||
| 1882 | #765 | ||||
| 1884 | #777 | ||||
| 1885 | #706 | ||||
| 1886 | #771 | ||||
| 1887 | #831 | ||||
| 1888 | #656 | ||||
| 1889 | #983 | ||||
| 1891 | #852 | ||||
| 1892 | #691 | ||||
| 1893 | #709 | ||||
| 1894 | #677 | ||||
| 1895 | #641 | ||||
| 1896 | #783 | ||||
| 1897 | #950 | ||||
| 1898 | #577 | ||||
| 1899 | #427 | ||||
| 1900 | #365 | ||||
| 1901 | #455 | ||||
| 1902 | #440 | ||||
| 1903 | #473 | ||||
| 1904 | #468 | ||||
| 1905 | #508 | ||||
| 1906 | #646 | ||||
| 1907 | #543 | ||||
| 1908 | #566 | ||||
| 1909 | #637 | ||||
| 1910 | #407 | ||||
| 1911 | #453 | ||||
| 1912 | #471 | ||||
| 1913 | #409 | ||||
| 1914 | #401 | ||||
| 1915 | #307 | ||||
| 1916 | #264 | ||||
| 1917 | #231 | ||||
| 1918 | #198 | ||||
| 1919 | #154 | ||||
| 1920 | #132 | ||||
| 1921 | #109 | ||||
| 1922 | #90 | ||||
| 1923 | #78 | ||||
| 1924 | #63 | ||||
| 1925 | #49 | ||||
| 1926 | #40 | ||||
| 1927 | #31 | ||||
| 1928 | #27 | ||||
| 1929 | #23 | ||||
| 1930 | #20 | ||||
| 1931 | #19 | ||||
| 1932 | #20 | ||||
| 1933 | #20 | ||||
| 1934 | #20 | ||||
| 1935 | #19 | ||||
| 1936 | #22 | ||||
| 1937 | #22 | ||||
| 1938 | #24 | ||||
| 1939 | #24 | ||||
| 1940 | #27 | ||||
| 1941 | #27 | ||||
| 1942 | #35 | ||||
| 1943 | #37 | ||||
| 1944 | #38 | ||||
| 1945 | #42 | ||||
| 1946 | #45 | ||||
| 1947 | #51 | ||||
| 1948 | #53 | ||||
| 1949 | #57 | ||||
| 1950 | #57 | ||||
| 1951 | #64 | ||||
| 1952 | #65 | ||||
| 1953 | #65 | ||||
| 1954 | #65 | ||||
| 1955 | #69 | ||||
| 1956 | #68 | ||||
| 1957 | #64 | ||||
| 1958 | #64 | ||||
| 1959 | #65 | ||||
| 1960 | #67 | ||||
| 1961 | #68 | ||||
| 1962 | #71 | ||||
| 1963 | #74 | ||||
| 1964 | #71 | ||||
| 1965 | #77 | ||||
| 1966 | #80 | ||||
| 1967 | #76 | ||||
| 1968 | #76 | ||||
| 1969 | #77 | ||||
| 1970 | #78 | #308 | |||
| 1971 | #75 | ||||
| 1972 | #81 | ||||
| 1973 | #76 | ||||
| 1974 | #78 | ||||
| 1975 | #84 | ||||
| 1976 | #85 | ||||
| 1977 | #91 | #295 | |||
| 1978 | #99 | ||||
| 1979 | #97 | #265 | |||
| 1980 | #100 | #285 | |||
| 1981 | #103 | #250 | #263 | ||
| 1982 | #116 | #202 | #251 | ||
| 1983 | #124 | #261 | |||
| 1984 | #140 | #221 | #324 | ||
| 1985 | #150 | #251 | #311 | ||
| 1986 | #159 | ||||
| 1987 | #168 | #238 | #308 | ||
| 1988 | #185 | #296 | #322 | ||
| 1989 | #193 | #279 | |||
| 1990 | #214 | #332 | #290 | ||
| 1991 | #220 | #236 | #243 | #304 | |
| 1992 | #230 | #343 | #346 | #270 | |
| 1993 | #222 | #180 | #226 | #293 | |
| 1994 | #256 | #172 | #209 | #229 | |
| 1995 | #264 | #153 | #244 | #293 | |
| 1996 | #286 | #142 | #185 | #295 | |
| 1997 | #324 | #79 | #201 | #174 | #263 |
| 1998 | #332 | #76 | #245 | #188 | #273 |
| 1999 | #350 | #77 | #133 | #144 | #327 |
| 2000 | #385 | #82 | #188 | #174 | #294 |
| 2001 | #384 | #87 | #197 | #145 | #336 |
| 2002 | #426 | #87 | #197 | #138 | #434 |
| 2003 | #426 | #87 | #237 | #156 | #502 |
| 2004 | #457 | #79 | #176 | #109 | #504 |
| 2005 | #456 | #78 | #193 | #101 | #386 |
| 2006 | #471 | #89 | #152 | #107 | #623 |
| 2007 | #486 | #95 | #176 | #120 | #515 |
| 2008 | #565 | #103 | #293 | #98 | #533 |
| 2009 | #591 | #111 | #193 | #115 | #544 |
| 2010 | #624 | #103 | #206 | #122 | #576 |
| 2011 | #611 | #113 | #224 | #101 | #447 |
| 2012 | #664 | #120 | #197 | #100 | #605 |
| 2013 | #685 | #123 | #202 | #110 | #563 |
| 2014 | #797 | #131 | #224 | #95 | #651 |
| 2015 | #810 | #121 | #231 | #79 | #658 |
| 2016 | #863 | #133 | #221 | #77 | #809 |
| 2017 | #830 | #133 | #229 | #74 | #681 |
| 2018 | #846 | #151 | #196 | #82 | #524 |
| 2019 | #891 | #143 | #138 | #79 | #469 |
| 2020 | #999 | #128 | #114 | #64 | #428 |
| 2021 | #138 | #109 | #71 | #417 | |
| 2022 | #134 | #123 | #52 | #398 | |
| 2023 | #118 | #86 | #57 | #372 | |
| 2024 | #134 | #80 | #59 | #428 | |
| 2025 | #115 | #84 | #40 | #526 |
Top names by country: United States · United Kingdom · New Zealand · Ireland · Canada
Variations of Name Billy
Names Similar to Billy
Nicknames for Billy
- Bill
- Will
- B
- Willy
Famous People Named Billy
| Billy Joel | American musician and singer-songwriter |
| Billy Crystal | American actor and comedian |
| Billy Bob Thornton | American actor and filmmaker |
| Billy Idol | English rock musician |
| Billy Murray | American actor and comedian |
| Billy Dee Williams | American actor |
| Billy Corgan | American musician - Smashing Pumpkins |
| Billy Zane | American actor |
| Billy Wilder | Austrian-American filmmaker |
| Billy Gibbons | American musician - ZZ Top |
| Billy Boyd | Scottish actor - Pippin in "Lord of the Rings" |
| Billy Burke | American actor |
| Billy Sherwood | American musician - Yes |
| Billy Crudup | American actor |
| Billy Vera | American singer and actor |
| Billy Unger | American actor |
| Billy Hamilton | American baseball player |
| Billy Martin | American baseball player and manager |
| Billy Wagner | American baseball player |
| Billy Beane | American former baseball player and executive |
Characters Named Billy
| Billy Batson | DC Comics character, also known as Captain Marvel or Shazam |
| Billy Hargrove | Character from the TV series "Stranger Things" |
| Billy Cranston | Character from the "Power Rangers" franchise |
| Billy Abbott | Character from the soap opera "The Young and the Restless" |
| Billy Mitchell | Character from the movie "Kingpin" |
| Billy Flynn | Character from the musical "Chicago" |
| Billy Ray Valentine | Character from the movie "Trading Places" |
| Billy Black | Character from the "Twilight" book series |
| Billy Bat | Character from the manga "20th Century Boys" |
| Billy the Kid | Legendary American Old West outlaw |
| Billy Loomis | Character from the movie "Scream" |
| Billy Murphy | Character from the TV series "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" |
| Billy Rocks | Character from the movie "The Magnificent Seven" |
| Billy Bones | Character from the TV series "Black Sails" |
| Billy Russo | Character from the movie "The Long Kiss Goodnight" |
| Billy Costigan | Character from the movie "Infernal Affairs" - basis for "The Departed" |
| Billy Kaplan | Marvel Comics character, also known as Wiccan |