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Wilhelmine
How to Pronounce Wilhelmine
Pronounced wil-hel-MEEN /vɪl.hɛlˈmiːn/Medium
Meaning: Wilhelmine is a German feminine form of Wilhelm (William), from Germanic wil ('will, desire') and helm ('helmet, protection'), so 'resolute protector' or 'will-helmet.' It is a stately traditional name of German heritage.Medium
Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data
U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.
SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.
History & Origin
Wilhelmine is a German feminine form of Wilhelm, built from wil ('will') and helm ('protection'), meaning 'resolute protector.' Carried to the United States by German immigrant families, it was borne by queens and princesses in Europe. It appears in American birth records from the late nineteenth century and thins over the twentieth.
It was never common in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its high in the mid eighteen-nineties, so a Wilhelmine from that era was born well over a century ago. It reads as a stately German heritage name, rare today.
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Frequently Asked
What does the name Wilhelmine mean?
It is a German feminine form of Wilhelm, meaning 'resolute protector.'
How do you pronounce Wilhelmine?
It's said wil-hel-MEEN /vɪl.hɛlˈmiːn/ - three syllables, stress on the third.
Is Wilhelmine a boy or girl name?
Wilhelmine is used as a girl's name.
How popular is Wilhelmine?
It has always been rare in the United States, given to only a couple dozen girls a year at its peak in the mid eighteen-nineties.