Billy

See also: billy

English

Alternative forms

• Billie

Etymology

Diminutive and pet-form; from Bill +‎ -y.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɪli/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɪli
• Homophones: Billie, billy

Proper noun

Billy (plural Billys)

1. A diminutive of the male given name William.
   • 1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 98:

     “By the way,” Jessamy went on, “what’s your other name? You never told me.” “Stubbs,” said Billy, “William Stubbs!”.

   • 2025 August 25, Robert Reich, “Why Trump built a staff of incompetent sycophants”, in The Guardian‎^[1], archived from the original on 25 August 2025:

     Then there’s Billy Long, a former auctioneer and Republican congressman who Trump nominated and was confirmed less than two months ago to head the Internal Revenue Service, with “little background in tax policy beyond promoting a fraud-riddled tax credit”. Long has already been fired after clashing with the treasury secretary, Scott Bessent. Long was the sixth person to head the IRS this year.

2. (US, nickname) The B-25 twin-engine bomber aircraft used during World War Two, commonly called the "B-25 Mitchell" in honor of U.S. Army General William "Billy" Mitchell.
   • 2003 Bradley, James Flyboys. New York: Little, Brown and Company. Ch 7:
     • Just then a squadron of "Billys" -- twin-engined B-25 Mitchell land-based bombers -- flew overhead [...].

Derived terms

• Bashful Billy
• Billster
• Billy Big Balls
• Billy Big Bollocks
• Billy bollocks
• Billy Boy
• Billy Dee
• Billygate
• billy goat
• Billyish
• Billyjean
• Billy no mates
• Billy Pugh
• Billys Creek
• Billy Webb
• Billy Wigglestick
• King Billy (Australia)
• puffing Billy
• Silly Billy

Translations

a diminutive of the male given name William — see also Bill

• Greek: Μπίλι (el) (Bíli) (transliteration from English)
• Polish: Wil m, Wili m, Wilem m, Wilhelmek m, Wilmek m, Wim (pl) m, Wilm m, Helmek m, Helm (pl) m, Hel (pl) m, Helek m
• Russian: Би́лли (ru) m (Bílli)

William — see William

See also

• Billie

Further reading

• Billy on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Cebuano

Etymology

From English Billy.

Proper noun

Billy

1. a male given name from English

Swedish

Etymology

From English Billy.

Pronunciation

• Audio:

  (file)

Proper noun

Billy c (genitive Billys)

1. a male given name borrowed from English