Wilhelmina
vil-hel-MEE-nah
A feminine form of William meaning “helmet of resolution,” linked to strength and protection.
Meaning
Wilhelmina is the feminine form of William, built from Germanic elements meaning “helmet” and “resolution” or “will.” The excerpted 19th-century sources gloss it as “helmet of resolution,” and also note related forms such as Wilhelmine and the English Wilhelmina. In use, it carries the sense of a resolute protector.
Origin
GermanDutchEnglishfeminine
Fun fact
The name was prominent enough in the 19th century to appear in elaborate double names like Caroline Wilhelmina Amelia Skeggs, and it was also borne by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.