Ellis vs Liam
Ellis 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, Ellis was ranked #272 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Ellis was ranked #239 and Liam #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Ellis was ranked #104 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Ellis was ranked #95 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Ellis and Liam over time
Ellis and Liam appear together in 3 published lists, across 71 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Ellis in 0.
In none of those lists did their order change and stay changed.
Liam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 2 of those lists, Ellis 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.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Ellis and Liam averaged 43.5 places apart, ending at #95 and #70.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Ellis #250 in 2020, Liam #6 in 2021.
List by list
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Ellis held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Liam in 27.
Highest recorded here: Ellis #76 in 2019, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellis #95, Liam #70.
Republic of Ireland · Boys23 shared years, 2000–2025
Ellis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 23.
Highest recorded here: Ellis #250 in 2020, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Ellis #272, Liam #7.
Northern Ireland · Boys19 shared years, 2000–2024
Ellis held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 19.
Highest recorded here: Ellis #160 in 2019, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Ellis #239, Liam #42.
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 | Ellis | 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 #272 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 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
- Liam has a recorded origin (Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam)); Ellis does not have one recorded yet.
- Ellis has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Ellis doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE.
How each name got here
Ellis
Popularity journey
First recorded1996
First recorded at #301 among girls in England and Wales in 1996 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
England and Wales · Girls
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #76 among boys in England and Wales, in 2019 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #718 among girls in Republic of Ireland, in 2025.
Republic of Ireland · Girls
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