Harrison vs Liam
Harrison 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, Harrison was ranked #118 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Harrison was ranked #29 and Liam #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Harrison was ranked #60 and Liam #17 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Harrison was ranked #40 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Harrison was ranked #89 and Liam #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Harrison was ranked #52 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Harrison and Liam over time
Harrison and Liam appear together in 5 published lists, across 146 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 5 of them, Harrison 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.
Liam reached its own highest recorded position earlier in 3 of those lists, Harrison in 2. 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 2011, Harrison moved ahead of Liam in England and Wales · Boys — #42 and #33 the year before became #37 and #44.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Harrison and Liam averaged 31.7 places apart, ending at #52 and #70.
- Longest-running competitions
Harrison and Liam were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 34 years, from 1992 to 2025, ending at #29 and #15.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Republic of Ireland · Boys within 2 years — Harrison #116 in 2020, Liam #6 in 2021.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys34 shared years, 1992–2025
Harrison held the stronger position in 1 of those years, Liam in 33.
Highest recorded here: Harrison #13 in 2017, Liam #6 in 2020.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harrison #29, Liam #15.
New Zealand · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2023
Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 30.
Highest recorded here: Harrison #28 in 2018, Liam #1 in 2010.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Harrison #60, Liam #17.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Harrison held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Liam in 15.
Highest recorded here: Harrison #30 in 2007, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order changed in 2011: Harrison moved ahead. In 2010 they stood at #42 and #33; by 2011 that had become #37 and #44.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harrison #52, Liam #70.
Republic of Ireland · Boys27 shared years, 1999–2025
Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 27.
Highest recorded here: Harrison #116 in 2020, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Harrison #118, Liam #7.
Northern Ireland · Boys26 shared years, 1999–2024
Harrison held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 26.
Highest recorded here: Harrison #74 in 2019, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Harrison #89, 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 | Harrison | 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 | 3 | 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 | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #29 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 76/100 | 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)); Harrison does not have one recorded yet.
- Harrison has 3 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Harrison doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Harrison
Popularity journey
First recorded1992
First recorded at #96 among boys in New South Wales, Australia in 1992 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Highest recorded1992–2025
Highest recorded position: #13 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2017 (recorded 1992–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #29 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