George vs Liam
George 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.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #6 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #7 and Liam #17 among boys in New Zealand.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #112 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2023, George was ranked #364 and Liam #8 among boys in Norway.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, George was ranked #24 and Liam #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #40 and Liam #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, George was ranked #48 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
George and Liam over time
George and Liam appear together in 6 published lists, across 223 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, George in 1.
The order between them changed and held in 5 of those lists — a change in that published list, never a claim that one name displaced the other.
Liam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 5 of those lists, George 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 2000, George moved ahead of Liam in England and Wales · Boys — #18 and #17 the year before became #17 and #19.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, George and Liam averaged 38.9 places apart, ending at #6 and #70.
- Mirrored each other
Over 62 shared years in Republic of Ireland · Boys, Liam rose about as far as George fell — from #52 and #54 in 1964 to #112 and #7 in 2025.
- Longest-running competitions
George and Liam were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #24 and #15.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — George #361 in 2017, Liam #3 in 2015.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
George held the stronger position in 3 of those years, Liam in 59.
Highest recorded here: George #52 in 1964, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order changed in 1967: Liam moved ahead. In 1966 they stood at #55 and #57; by 1967 that had become #64 and #49.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #112, Liam #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1983–2025
George held the stronger position in 5 of those years, Liam in 38.
Highest recorded here: George #24 in 2023, Liam #6 in 2020.
The order changed in 1989: Liam moved ahead. In 1988 they stood at #68 and #73; by 1989 that had become #66 and #58.
Most recent shared year, 2025: George #24, Liam #15.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1986–2023
George held the stronger position in 7 of those years, Liam in 31.
Highest recorded here: George #5 in 2021, Liam #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2017: George moved ahead. In 2016 they stood at #12 and #11; by 2017 that had become #7 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #7, Liam #17.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
George held the stronger position in 26 of those years, Liam in 3.
Highest recorded here: George #2 in 2018, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order changed in 2000: George moved ahead. In 1999 they stood at #18 and #17; by 2000 that had become #17 and #19.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #6, Liam #70.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
George held the stronger position in 10 of those years, Liam in 17.
Highest recorded here: George #25 in 2023, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: George #40, Liam #42.
Norway · Boys23 shared years, 1982–2023
George held the stronger position in 6 of those years, Liam in 17.
Highest recorded here: George #361 in 2017, Liam #3 in 2015.
The order changed in 1996: Liam moved ahead. In 1995 they stood at #449 and #456; by 1996 that had become #514 and #370.
Most recent shared year, 2023: George #364, Liam #8.
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 | George | Liam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Farmer, earth-worker. | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. |
| Origin | Greek | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒɔːdʒ/ | /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 #24 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- George is recorded with a Greek origin, while Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin.
- George has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- George'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, NO, NZ.
How each name got here
George
Popularity journey
First recorded1946
First recorded at #345 among boys in Norway in 1946 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in England and Wales, in 2018 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #24 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