Discover and Shortlist Your Perfect Baby Names!

Vilhelm as a Baby Name. Meaning and Origin of Vilhelm

Add to my Name List

The baby name Vilhelm is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈvɪl.hɛlm/ — "VIL-helm" (VIL like 'will' with a v).

Gender: Male
Syllables: 2.0
Pronunciation: /ˈvɪl.hɛlm/ — "VIL-helm" (VIL like 'will' with a v)

What is the meaning of the name Vilhelm ?

The baby name Vilhelm is a Male name , 2 syllables long and is pronounced /ˈvɪl.hɛlm/ — "VIL-helm" (VIL like 'will' with a v).

Vilhelm is in Origin.

Vilhelm is the Scandinavian and Finnish form of the Germanic name Wilhelm, built from wil “will, desire” and helm “helmet, protection.” The sense is “resolute protector” or “steadfast guardian.” In Nordic usage it keeps a classical, slightly antique tone while remaining recognizably connected to William worldwide.

Documented in Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish records since the Reformation, Vilhelm rose in the 19th century under German cultural influence and royal-noble naming fashions. It appears with notable bearers such as painter Vilhelm Hammershøi and meteorologist Vilhelm Bjerknes. Close variants and cognates include Wilhelm (German, Polish), Willem (Dutch), William (English), Guillaume (French), Guillermo (Spanish), Guilherme (Portuguese), Guglielmo (Italian), Vilém (Czech), Vilmos (Hungarian), Vilhelms (Latvian), and Vilhelmas (Lithuanian); Icelandic Vilhjálmur is a related form. Common short forms are Ville (especially in Finland and Sweden) and Vil, and feminine counterparts include Vilhelmina/Wilhelmina and Vilma.

Vilhelm has the following similar or variant Names

Vilhelm – Popularity by country

Based on birth registration data from national statistics agencies.

Country Gender Year Rank Born of
Sweden Boys 2022 #122 61 1,509
EE Boys 0 #125 1 2,087
Norway Boys 2025 #127 8 444
RS Boys 0 #154 1 2,277
RU 0 #194 1 3,641
DK 0 #205 2 5,198
BG Boys 0 #220 1 3,850
LU Boys 0 #220 1 4,970
DK Boys 0 #304 22 7,401
CZ Boys 0 #305 1 6,530
CN Boys 0 #331 1 9,639
MY 0 #354 1 12,352
PT Boys 0 #381 1 7,951
Finland Boys 0 #399 29 2,041
BO 0 #408 1 6,868
Finland Boys 2026 #494 206 3,552
RU Girls 0 #523 1 11,913
RU Boys 0 #525 2 12,621
CL Boys 0 #700 1 13,390
OM Boys 0 #918 1 17,948
MX Boys 0 #1,032 2 16,355
AE Boys 0 #1,143 1 22,615
MY Boys 0 #1,182 1 25,439

Vilhelm is popular in 18 countries — most recent births per country:

Norway
Sweden
AE
BG
BO

Did we miss something about this name? Let us know!

People also ask about Vilhelm

Vilhelm is predominantly a boy's name.
Vilhelm is a 2 syllable name, pronounced /ˈvɪl.hɛlm/ — "VIL-helm" (VIL like 'will' with a v).
Common nicknames and spelling variations include Vilhem, Vilhelm, Villem, Vilho, Ville and Villy.
Across languages, Vilhelm has these equivalents: Wilhelm (German), William (English), Willem (Dutch), Guillaume (French), Guglielmo (Italian), and 2 more.
Yes — Vilhelm ranked #122 in Sweden in 2022, and appears in official birth registries across 3 countries.
Vilhelm ranks highest in Sweden (#122 in 2022).
Vilhelm's popularity is holding steady. It moved from #129 in 2015 to #127 in 2025 in Norway.