The first name Billy
A boy’s name.
Pronounced /ˈbɪli/ 2 syllables Male Also a surname
Meaning and origin
Diminutive and pet-form; from Bill + -y.
Billy is a short form of
.From Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Popularity
Babies registered in England and Wales, 1996–2025
In 2025, 481 boys were named Billy, making it the 110th most popular boys’ name. It peaked in 2005, with 955 births (#71).
Office for National Statistics; years with fewer than three births are not published and show as zero. Compare Billy with other names.
Popularity in the United States
Babies named Billy at birth, 1880–2025
In 2025, 203 boys born in the United States were named Billy, the 1,068th most popular boys’ name that year. It was used most in 1934, when 9,562 were.
US Social Security Administration, from applications for a Social Security card. A name is only published for a year when at least five babies were given it, so quieter years show as zero.
Billy in other languages
Equivalent forms of the name, from Wiktionary
Nicknames and spellings
Other spellings and forms
Famous people named Billy
155 on Wikidata, most written-about first
- Billy WilderAustrian and American filmmaker (1906–2002)
- Billy CrystalAmerican actor, comedian, writer, producer, director and television presenter (born 1948)
- Billy ZaneAmerican actor (born 1966)
- Billy HughesAustralian politician (1862–1952), 7th Prime Minister of Australia from 1915 to 1923
- Billy CeleskiAustralian association football player, born 1985
- Billy WrightEnglish footballer (1924-1994)
- Billy MaysEuropean-American salesperson (1958–2009)
- Billy CorganAmerican musician, born 1967
- Billy BurkeAmerican actor, musician, born 1966
- Billy PorterAmerican singer and actor, born 1969
- Billy HerringtonAmerican pornographic actor (1969–2018)
- Billy MagnussenAmerican actor, born 1985
Questions
- What does the name Billy mean?
- Diminutive and pet-form; from Bill + -y.
- How popular is the name Billy?
- In 2025, 481 boys born in England and Wales were named Billy, ranking 110th. Its peak was 2005, with 955 births.
- Is Billy a boy's or a girl's name?
- Mostly a boy's name: 99% of the 389,665 US babies named Billy since 1880 were boys.
- When was Billy most popular?
- 1934 in the United States, when 9,562 babies were named Billy, its highest rank at 20th.
- How do you pronounce Billy?
- Billy is /ˈbɪli/, 2 syllables.
- What are other spellings of Billy?
- Billie.
- Is Billy also a surname?
- Yes. Billy is used as a surname as well as a first name; its surname page has the origin and how many people carry it.