William Stokes (1 October 1804 – 10 January 1878) was an Irish physician, who was Regius Professor of Physic at Trinity College Dublin.

He graduated from the University of Edinburgh Medical School with an MD in 1825 later returning the practice in Dublin at Meath Hospital.

He emphasised the importance of clinical examination in forming diagnoses, and of ward-based learning for students of medicine.

Stokes' sign is a severe throbbing in the abdomen, at the right of the umbilicus, in acute enteritis.

Stokes law is that a muscle situated above an inflamed membrane is often affected with paralysis.