William Kerr
/ˈwɪl.i.əm kɛər/noun
A personal name combining the given name William with the Scottish surname Kerr.
Did you know?William comes from Germanic elements meaning will or desire and helmet, while Kerr is traditionally linked to a Norse-derived Scottish word for marshland or wet ground.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
Germanic
*wiljō + *helmaz
“Will, desire + protective helmet”
Old High German
Old High German
Willahelm
“A personal name meaning roughly “one whose will is a helmet” or “helmet of resolve””
Old French
Old French
Williame / Guillaume
“The Norman French form of the Germanic personal name”
Old English
English
Willahelm
“The name introduced and reinforced in England through Norman influence”
Medieval Scotland
Scots
Kerr / Ker
“A Scottish surname associated with the Old Norse-derived term kjarr, referring to marshy or wet ground”
Modern English
English
William Kerr
“A modern given name and surname combination”