Bill
BIL
A classic English nickname for William, carrying the sense of a resolute protector.
Meaning
Bill is a familiar short form of William, formed through the English nickname chain Will > Bill. The underlying name William comes from Germanic elements usually explained as ‘will, desire’ plus ‘helmet, protection,’ so the broader sense is often given as ‘resolute protector’ or ‘strong protector.’
Origin
EnglishGermanicmasculine
Fun fact
19th-century name books explicitly list Bill among the common nicknames for William, alongside Will, Willy, and Billy.