Craig vs Liam
Craig 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.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Craig was ranked #516 and Liam #8 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New Zealand · Boys
In 1992, Craig was ranked #90 and Liam #39 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #478 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2015, Craig was ranked #415 and Liam #54 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 1991, Craig was ranked #97 and Liam #55 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Craig was ranked #2263 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Craig and Liam over time
Craig and Liam appear together in 4 published lists, across 114 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Craig in 1.
The order between them changed and held in one of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Craig reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, and Liam in none. 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.
- Mirrored each other
Over 59 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Liam rose about as far as Craig fell — from #214 and #54 in 1964 to #516 and #8 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Craig and Liam were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 59 years, from 1964 to 2023, ending at #516 and #8.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Craig #81 in 1996, Liam #10 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys59 shared years, 1964–2023
Craig held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Liam in 54.
Highest recorded here: Craig #39 in 1990, Liam #7 in 2019.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Craig #516, Liam #8.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 29.
Highest recorded here: Craig #81 in 1996, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Craig #2263, Liam #70.
Northern Ireland · Boys17 shared years, 1997–2015
Craig held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 17.
Highest recorded here: Craig #68 in 1997, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2015: Craig #415, Liam #54.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys9 shared years, 1983–1991
Craig held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Liam in 3.
Highest recorded here: Craig #35 in 1983, Liam #55 in 1991.
The order changed in 1989: Liam moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #60 and #73; by 1989 that had become #61 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 1991: Craig #97, Liam #55.
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 | Craig | Liam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | From the Scottish surname derived from Gaelic 'creag', meaning 'crag, rocks, outcrop' — originally denoting someone who lived near a crag. | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. |
| Origin | Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈkɹeɪɡ/ | /ˈliːəm/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Scotland · Boys #478 (2024) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 94/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Craig is recorded with a Scottish Gaelic (surname origin) origin, while Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin.
- Craig and Liam both have 1 syllable.
- Craig's recorded meaning differs from Liam's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Craig
Popularity journey
First recorded1953
First recorded at #79 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1953 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1954–1992
Highest recorded position: #6 among boys in New Zealand, in 1971 (recorded 1954–1992).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2024
Most recently recorded at #2263 among boys in England and Wales, in 2024.
England and Wales · 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