William Bethlehem PA

The name “William” comes from the ancient German language. The name means “Determined Protector.” It has been a popular name for boys since as early as 1066 AD. Today, the name William ranks as five out of every 1200 boys, which in today’s society means it is a very popular first name. The name became popular in England as a result of the infamous William the Conqueror from Normandy.

As a first name, there are several variants of the traditional William. In fact, William has thirty-four variants! Will, Billy, Bill, and Willey are popular shortened forms of the name. Willard, Wilkes, Willem, and Wilhelm are all popular spellings of William as a first name.

Not only is William a popular first name, but it is also used quite often as a surname, as well. In 1990, 731 out of almost 9,000 people in the US had the surname of William. Popular variants as a surname are Williamson, Willard, Wilson, Willis, Williams, Wilcox, and Wilkinson.

Many famous people have had the name of William. In fact, there were four US presidents who were named William—William Harrison, William Taft, William McKinley, and William (Bill) Clinton. Playwright William Shakespeare is perhaps one of the most famous Williams in history, as his work is known the world over.

The name William makes it appearance many times in the celebrity world. A currently popular William is William Hung. William Hung is infamous for his poor vocal skills. He was “discovered” by the popular American Idol television show, when he had one of the worst auditions on the show’s record. He was not accepted on the show, but his optimism and unique approach to singing made him an instant celebrity when the audition outtakes were aired. He went on to record several CDs, which have been at the top of the charts!

William Shatner of Star Trek fame is another celebrity William. He played the cavalier Captain James T. Kirk on the famous television Sci-Fi series. The series ran for three years, and in that short run sparked a cult following that was unheard of. Because of the immense popularity of the show, William Shatner went on to star in seven Star Trek movies. He currently starts on Boston Legal and several Priceline commercials.

William Cosby, better known as Bill Cosby, is a famous comedian and actor. His show, The Cosby Show was innovative in showing the black community that African American families can be stable and financially well off. Still popular today, The Cosby Show showcased the political and social aspects of the eighties with comedy and dignity. Today, Cosby is a popular speaker among African Americans, and approaches every speaking engagement with comedy and class. He frequently speaks about the need for African American kids to take education seriously and improve their lot in life. Sometimes controversial, Cosby is against the affects of affirmative action, preferring instead for African Americans to improve their own situation by strengthening family structures.

The name William makes several appearances in the world of politics. There were four presidents of the United States who were named William. William Henry Harrison was America’s ninth president. He caught a cold his first month in office that developed into pneumonia, which he died of. This made him the first US president to die in office.

William McKinley makes President number two to be named William. McKinley’s presidency was spent dealing with Spanish holdings in the Western Hemisphere. He was elected to a second term, but was shot early in the term.

William Taft was another US President who carried the name. He was a man who preferred law to politics, and only held one office, for which few accomplishments are known. After leaving the office of President, William Taft was named chief justice of the United States by President Harding.

William Clinton, commonly referred to as Bill Clinton, is the fourth William that held the highest office in the country. During his presidency, the country faced economic stability, which many felt were a result of the work of presidents before him. In 1998 President Clinton faced impeachment charges because of some personal indiscretions against one of his interns. He was not found guilty.

In England, Prince William of Wales is a popular political icon. Prince William is the son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and the late Princess Diana. Prince William is next in line after Prince Charles to inherit the throne of England. Because of his youth, Prince William is a heartthrob among the young ladies of England and America both.

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