William Nelson may refer to:
- William Nelson (MP) for City of York (UK Parliament constituency)
- William Nelson (governor) (1711–1772), American Colonial governor of Virginia
- William Nelson, 1st Earl Nelson (1757–1835), elder brother of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
- William Nelson (congressman) (1784–1869), U.S. Congressman for New York
- William Nelson (athlete) (born 1984), U.S. steeplechaser, see Athletics at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's 3000 metre steeplechase
- William Nelson (wrestler),U.S. American wrestler
- William "Bull" Nelson (1824–1862), Union army general in the U.S. American Civil War
- William E. Nelson, Canadian environmentalist
- William E. Nelson (killed 1991), private pilot murdered, dismembered, and cannibalized by his wife Omaima Aree Nelson
- William H. Nelson (born 1944), American businessman
- Harold Nelson (athlete) (1923-2011), New Zealand runner; full name William Harold Nelson
- William L. Nelson (1875–1946), U.S. Congressman for Missouri
- William L. Nelson (Medal of Honor) (1918–1943), World War II Medal of Honor recipient
- William T. Nelson (1908–1994), U.S. Navy rear admiral
- William Layton Nelson (born 1945),U.S. American singer and musician
- William Rockhill Nelson (1841–1915), U.S. journalist and publisher
- Willie Nelson (born 1933), U.S. guitarist, songwriter and country singer
- Billy Nelson (actor) (1903–1973), actor in Stamp Day for Superman
- Billy Bass Nelson (born 1951), U.S. musician, member of the P-funk All Stars
- Edward William Nelson (1855–1934),U.S. American naturalist
Famous quotes containing the words william and/or nelson:
“Well, if I were going to haunt anybody, this would certainly be the house I’d do it in.”
—Robb White, and William Castle. Lance Schroeder (Richard Long)
“Where did we ever get the crazy idea that in order to make children do better, first we have to make them feel worse? Think of the last time you felt humiliated or treated unfairly. Did you feel like cooperating or doing better?”
—Jane Nelson (20th century)