From the anonymous Piano Man to the history lesson in We Didn’t Start the Fire, Billy Joel released numerous hit songs in the 70s and 80s and remains a favorite in music today.
Born in New York on May 9, 1949, Joel was influenced by and experimented with all kinds of music before finding his own style. From classical piano songs, to playing soul music, heavy metal, and rock in various bands, he eventually made a name for himself with his first album Piano Man.
He went on to release The Stranger, which featured four hit US singles and won him a Grammy in the 70s. He was among the first established rock performers to make music videos in the 80s and in the 90s, he was admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He continued to perform throughout the 2000s and, in February 2024, he released his first single in nearly two decades.
Billy Joel was not born a Billy, however; he was born a William.
Billy is a diminutive of Bill, which is in turn a short form of William, meaning “resolute protection”. It likely emerged in the Middle Ages when there was a trend for letter swapping nicknames. Will became Bill and Rob became Bob because so, so many people were called the most popular names.
Billy was a favorite in the US throughout the 20th century, but it began to drop down the charts in the 80s and as of 2020, it no longer ranks. Liam has well and truly taken over as the Number One preferred William diminutive, while William itself remains in the Top 10.
In the UK, Billy continues to see steady usage, ranking in the Top 150. Even there, however, it’s on the decline, pushed out by other vintage style nicknames, like Reggie, Bobby, and Vinnie.
So, what does the future hold for Billy? Could it be revived by fans of 70’s rock and roll, hoping to honor their musical tastes? Will it have to wait until the next generation of parents grow bored with Teddy, Liam, and Tommy and go looking for something similar-but-different? Will Billie take over as a top choice for girls?
Who can tell – but with namesakes like Billy Joel, the name is unlikely to be forgotten just yet.
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