Charles vs Liam
Charles and Liamcompared on official birth-registration statistics and Namewise's recorded data. This page states what each name's record shows — it never picks a winner or scores one name against the other.
Head to head
Ranks are only compared within one published list and one year. Two ranks from different years, from a boys' and a girls' list, or from different registrars are not comparable, so they are not placed side by side.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #455 and Liam #7 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #188 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2021, Charles was ranked #72 and Liam #12 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Charles was ranked #94 and Liam #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #144 and Liam #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #160 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Charles was ranked #119 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Charles and Liam over time
Charles and Liam appear together in 6 published lists, across 205 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Charles in 0.
The order between them changed and held in 2 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Charles reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, Liam in 1. Each position is a place inside its own list, so this compares when they peaked and never how high.
Counted list by list. Two names in the same published list are measured on the same scale in the same year, so those comparisons are real — but positions from different lists are not, so nothing here is combined into an overall standing.
How this pair is related
The relationship kinds these two qualify for, each under its own stated rule. Every one is drawn from a list they both appear in.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1967, Liam moved ahead of Charles in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #53 and #57 the year before became #56 and #49.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Charles and Liam averaged 22.0 places apart, ending at #119 and #70.
- Longest-running competitions
Charles and Liam were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1988 to 2025, ending at #94 and #15.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Charles #41 in 1998, Liam #10 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Liam in 59.
Highest recorded here: Charles #43 in 1964, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order changed in 1967: Liam moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #53 and #57; by 1967 that had become #56 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #188, Liam #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1988–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 33.
Highest recorded here: Charles #63 in 2018, Liam #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #94, Liam #15.
New Zealand · Boys31 shared years, 1986–2021
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 31.
Highest recorded here: Charles #58 in 2008, Liam #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2021: Charles #72, Liam #12.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Liam in 23.
Highest recorded here: Charles #41 in 1998, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #119, Liam #70.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Charles held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 28.
Highest recorded here: Charles #75 in 2000, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Charles #144, Liam #42.
Norway · Boys22 shared years, 1982–2025
Charles held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Liam in 17.
Highest recorded here: Charles #281 in 1987, Liam #5 in 2020.
The order changed in 2000: Liam moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #358 and #370; by 2000 that had become #540 and #235.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Charles #455, Liam #7.
Two names moving past each other in a ranking is a fact about the ranking. Namewise does not claim one name displaced the other, that families chose between them, or that either influenced the other — none of that is in this data.
Side by side
| Field | Charles | Liam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Official statistical record (evidence-only) | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Not yet recorded | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. |
| Origin | Not yet recorded | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) |
| Pronunciation | Not yet recorded | /ˈliːəm/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #94 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 82/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Liam has a recorded origin (Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam)); Charles does not have one recorded yet.
- Charles has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Charles doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
Charles
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #224 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #41 among boys in England and Wales, in 1998 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #94 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Liam
Popularity journey
First recorded1964
First recorded at #54 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1964 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1986–2023
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in New Zealand, in 2010 (recorded 1986–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys