[name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_u]Liam[/name_u] or [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_u]Will[/name_u]!
All the kid James I know go by James, a few adults I know go by Jim. I think most people will say James unless told otherwise.
As for William, I know a little one who goes by William full time, but I feel it may be more naturally shortened to Will by his peers.
I realised I didn’t fully answer your question- I gave you my preferences but in terms of who I know:
The Jameses over 60 years are most often Jim; Jameses I know 25-60 range are mostly [name_u]James[/name_u] and then occasionally called [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m], [name_m]Jimbo[/name_m], [name_m]Jas[/name_m], [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] (and/or their last names as nicknames). I know a few baby Jameses and one is [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] at his parents’ request which seems slightly retro to me!
The [name_m]Williams[/name_m] I know over 60 are usually [name_m]Bill[/name_m]. I know one [name_m]Bill[/name_m] under 50, the rest (a handful) are all [name_u]Will[/name_u] and one is [name_u]Liam[/name_u] (my 10 year old [name_u]William[/name_u] nephew). I like [name_u]Billy[/name_u] too as seems kinda cowboy and handsome but for some reason don’t seem to be any Billy’s around here in Australia in my age group and those I know are all girl Billies under 10 (I know a few!). Like the [name_u]Wilkie[/name_u] suggestion!
When I was a kid, all the [name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_m]Williams[/name_m] I knew were Jimmy/Jim and Bill/Billy.
As an adult, I’ve always preferred [name_u]Jem[/name_u] and [name_u]Will[/name_u], even though most [name_m]Williams[/name_m] are Liams. I also like [name_m]Guy[/name_m] for [name_u]William[/name_u], from the [name_u]French[/name_u] [name_m]Guillaume[/name_m].
On [name_u]James[/name_u] - I have a [name_u]James[/name_u] and Jim/Jimmy all in my family!
Likewise on [name_u]William[/name_u] - we have a [name_m]Bill[/name_m] and then a young [name_u]William[/name_u] that goes by [name_u]William[/name_u], [name_u]Will[/name_u], or mostly [name_u]Willie[/name_u].
Thank you all so much for weighing in! It’s so fun to see all of the different experiences and preferences.
For James, I had expected a lot of Jameses and Jamies, and maybe a few Jims and Jimmy’s, but Jem was a new one to me! It’s absolutely adorable, and I’m so surprised I hadn’t heard it before. Maybe it’s regional? I’m in the U.S. and have yet to meet a little Jem.
For William, it seems like Will is the most common shortening (as we probably all expected), but I love hearing the other nicknames, too! Pim, Wilkie, and Guy were new to me, but are all so sweet. I was so interested to see how many Bills and Billy’s there were, too!
Such a great point about the name [name_u]Liam[/name_u].
Thank you! The Jims and Bills I know are also in the 50+ range, so hearing them on a little one would be an adjustment for me.
This seems to be my experience, too.
I’ve only ever met Jameses going by [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] or [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m], and [name_m]Williams[/name_m] by [name_u]Will[/name_u].
Having said that, if I had a [name_u]James[/name_u] I’d definitely go with [name_u]Jem[/name_u]. [name_u]William[/name_u] is more difficult because I love the full name so much (my first childhood crush was a [name_u]William[/name_u] ) - but probably [name_u]Will[/name_u], [name_u]Wilkie[/name_u], or I can also imagine myself using Willo/Willow?
So sweet!
I know a [name_u]James[/name_u] who goes by [name_u]Jay[/name_u] and a [name_u]James[/name_u] who goes by [name_u]Jem[/name_u]! Both are my favourite nicknames for those names! I knew a [name_u]William[/name_u] who went by [name_u]Liam[/name_u] however my favourite [name_u]William[/name_u] nickname is [name_u]Wilkie[/name_u]. It just feels so soft and sweet!!
Thank you!
[name_u]James[/name_u] - [name_m]Just[/name_m] [name_u]James[/name_u], [name_m]Jamesy[/name_m], [name_u]Jamie[/name_u], [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m], JJ, [name_u]Jay[/name_u], [name_m]Jim[/name_m] [name_m]Jam[/name_m]
[name_u]William[/name_u] - [name_u]Billy[/name_u], [name_u]Will[/name_u], just [name_u]William[/name_u]
All the [name_u]James[/name_u] I know are just [name_u]James[/name_u] (but I did grow up with one [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m] who would be approaching 30 now).
I see lots of little [name_m]Wills[/name_m] and Liams but I think most of the Liams are “just” [name_u]Liam[/name_u]. I’ve known one [name_u]Billy[/name_u] my age.
all the james’ i know are ‘just’ james (which i find ironic, because if i was a boy, my dad vetoed james as he didn’t like jim) and most of the william’s have been will with one ‘just’ william and one willow.
personally, i like jamie and will!
[name_u]Jem[/name_u] and [name_u]Wilkie[/name_u] for me! I adore these two!
[name_u]James[/name_u] and [name_u]Billy[/name_u]
I have a cousin [name_u]James[/name_u], who just goes by [name_u]James[/name_u], it’s an old family name so I’ve considered it as well, I like the nicknames [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] and [name_u]Jem[/name_u], but I also see the appeal of the old fashioned [name_m]Jim[/name_m] and [name_m]Jimmy[/name_m].
Most of the people I know called [name_u]James[/name_u] just go by [name_u]James[/name_u] except for one who goes by [name_m]Jim[/name_m] (but he’s in his 70s). I also know of someone who was going to name their son [name_u]James[/name_u] (nn Jamie) but switched last minute to just [name_u]Jamie[/name_u] to avoid confusion.
I think [name_u]William[/name_u] is a lovely name in itself and the most common nickname for [name_u]William[/name_u] I’ve come across is [name_u]Will[/name_u]. I think [name_u]Billy[/name_u] is adorable though!