Curtis vs Liam
Curtis 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 2025, Curtis was ranked #829 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Curtis was ranked #432 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2022, Curtis was ranked #414 and Liam #62 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Curtis was ranked #1076 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Curtis and Liam over time
Curtis and Liam appear together in 3 published lists, across 77 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Curtis in 0.
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.
Curtis reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 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.
- One took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Liam moved into the top 50 at #36 in 1999 as Curtis fell out of it to #55, having been #46 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 1999, Liam moved ahead of Curtis in Northern Ireland · Boys — #46 and #65 the year before became #55 and #36.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Curtis #78 in 1996, Liam #10 in 1996.
- Started together, ended far apart
In 1997 they stood at #44 and #48 in Northern Ireland · Boys, 4 places apart; by 2022 they were #414 and #62.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Curtis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 29.
Highest recorded here: Curtis #78 in 1996, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Curtis #1076, Liam #70.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 1997–2022
Curtis held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Liam in 23.
Highest recorded here: Curtis #44 in 1997, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order changed in 1999: Liam moved ahead. In 1998 they stood at #46 and #65; by 1999 that had become #55 and #36.
Most recent shared year, 2022: Curtis #414, Liam #62.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 1990–2025
Curtis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 23.
Highest recorded here: Curtis #162 in 1997, Liam #7 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Curtis #829, 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 | Curtis | 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 | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #829 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 88/100 | 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)); Curtis does not have one recorded yet.
- Curtis has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Curtis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Curtis
Popularity journey
First recorded1990
First recorded at #323 among boys in Republic of Ireland in 1990 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Highest recorded1997–2022
Highest recorded position: #44 among boys in Northern Ireland, in 1997 (recorded 1997–2022).
Northern Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #829 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · 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