William Short or William Shortt may refer to:

• William Short (Alberta politician) (1866–1926), Mayor of Edmonton, Alberta
• William Short (American ambassador) (1759–1849), United States Minister Plenipotentiary to France, 1790–1792
• William Short (footballer), English footballer
• William Short (priest) (c. 1760 – 1826), Archdeacon of Cornwall
• William Henry Short (1884–1916), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
• William J. Short (1864–1939), member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba
• Bill Short (1937–2022), American baseball pitcher
• Bill Shortt (1920–2004), Welsh footballer
• William Allaire Shortt (1859–1915), American politician
• William Hamilton Shortt (1881–1971), English railway engineer and horologist

• William A. Short House, Helena, Arkansas