system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: How does a person's name translate between languages?

Explain like I'm 5 how a person's name is translated between two different languages. For example, the English name William in Spanish is Guillermo. Was this something that was made up or is there an actual translation?
gpt
Names aren't translated; ever. If you translated it, it wouldn't be their name any more.

Names are transliterated, which means they are approximated using the writing system of the other language based on how the name is pronounced. 

When two languages share the same writing system, there is no change; the only difference is that the other person might pronounce it differently because of how it's written, or because of their accent.

That said, someone's name might literally mean something in their language or another language, but that doesn't mean you translate it.

As for names like William and Guillermo, these aren't translations, nor are they really the same name. They're simply two different names that share the same origin, and are considered to be counterparts. Like Thomas and Tomas. Or Michel and Michael.