William Godfrey
Name meaning, origin and global statistics
William Godfrey is a name that combines Germanic origins. The first name William is a masculine given name of Germanic origin. From the Old High German Willahelm, composed of wil (will, desire) and helm (helmet, protection). Introduced to England by William the Conqueror in 1066. The surname Godfrey: Godfrey is a given name and an English surname. The given name is derived from the Old French Godefroy, a name composed of the elements: the first being either God ("God") or gōd ("good"); the second being fred ("peace"). The name was brought to England by settlers from Normandy, the Low Countries, and France. The name is rendered Goraidh, Goiridh in Scottish Gaelic. In some cases the surname is derived from the Middle English personal name Godfrey, Godefrey; or the Old French Godefrei, Godefroi, Godefrois; or the Continental Germanic Godefrid. William is one of the most widespread first names worldwide, carried by approximately 3.7 million people globally, with the highest concentration in United States. The name William reached peak popularity in the 1970s, reflecting the naming trends of that era.
Etymology & Origin
First Name: William
Meaning: strong protector
Germanic
From the Old High German Willahelm, composed of wil (will, desire) and helm (helmet, protection). Introduced to England by William the Conqueror in 1066.
Surname: Godfrey
Germanic
Godfrey is a given name and an English surname. The given name is derived from the Old French Godefroy, a name composed of the elements: the first being either God ("God") or gōd ("good"); the second being fred ("peace"). The name was brought to England by settlers from Normandy, the Low Countries, and France. The name is rendered Goraidh, Goiridh in Scottish Gaelic. In some cases the surname is derived from the Middle English personal name Godfrey, Godefrey; or the Old French Godefrei, Godefroi, Godefrois; or the Continental Germanic Godefrid.
Geographic Distribution
The first name William is distributed across the globe, with the highest concentrations in the following countries:
Popularity Over Time
Popularity of the name William by decade, based on birth registration data:
Name Variants & Related Names
The name William has several variants and related forms across different languages and cultures:
Notable People Named William Godfrey
People listed above share this name. Listed for informational purposes only. Source: Wikipedia.
Numerology
According to Pythagorean numerology, each letter in a name carries a numerical value. Here are the key numbers for William Godfrey:
Nurturing and responsibility. Associated with care, family values and a strong sense of duty towards loved ones.
Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.
Creativity and self-expression. Associated with artistic flair, optimism and sociability — a natural communicator.
Numerology is a cultural tradition for exploring symbolism in names. Results are for entertainment purposes.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is the origin of the first name William?
- The first name William originates from Germanic. From the Old High German Willahelm, composed of wil (will, desire) and helm (helmet, protection). Introduced to England by William the Conqueror in 1066.
- When was William most popular?
- The name William reached its peak popularity during the 1970s.
- What is the origin of the surname Godfrey?
- The surname Godfrey originates from Germanic. Godfrey is a given name and an English surname. The given name is derived from the Old French Godefroy, a name composed of the elements: the first being either God ("God") or gōd ("good"); the second being fred ("peace"). The name was brought to England by settlers from Normandy, the Low Countries, and France. The name is rendered Goraidh, Goiridh in Scottish Gaelic. In some cases the surname is derived from the Middle English personal name Godfrey, Godefrey; or the Old French Godefrei, Godefroi, Godefrois; or the Continental Germanic Godefrid.
- How common is the surname Godfrey?
- The surname Godfrey is shared by approximately 29K people worldwide.