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 word nelson:
“The victors and the vanquished then the storm it tossed and tore,
As hard they strove, those worn-out men, upon that surly shore;
Dead Nelson and his half-dead crew, his foes from near and far,
Were rolled together on the deep that night at Trafalgar!”
—Thomas Hardy (1840–1928)