Hugh vs Liam
Hugh 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, Hugh was ranked #179 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Hugh was ranked #339 and Liam #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Hugh was ranked #330 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Hugh was ranked #500 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Hugh and Liam over time
Hugh and Liam appear together in 3 published lists, across 119 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Hugh 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 2 of those lists, Hugh 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 1966, Liam moved ahead of Hugh in Republic of Ireland · Boys — #53 and #59 the year before became #62 and #57.
- Longest-running competitions
Hugh and Liam were both ranked in Republic of Ireland · Boys for 62 years, from 1964 to 2025, ending at #179 and #7.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in England and Wales · Boys within 2 years — Hugh #198 in 1997, Liam #10 in 1996.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys62 shared years, 1964–2025
Hugh held the stronger position in 2 of those years, Liam in 60.
Highest recorded here: Hugh #53 in 1964, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order changed in 1966: Liam moved ahead. In 1965 they stood at #53 and #59; by 1966 that had become #62 and #57.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Hugh #179, Liam #7.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Hugh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 29.
Highest recorded here: Hugh #198 in 1997, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hugh #500, Liam #70.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Hugh held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 28.
Highest recorded here: Hugh #126 in 2023, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Hugh #339, 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 | Hugh | 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 | 1 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Republic of Ireland · Boys #179 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | Not yet recorded | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 92/100 | 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)); Hugh does not have one recorded yet.
- Hugh and Liam both have 1 syllable.
- A meaning is recorded for Liam; Hugh doesn't have one written yet.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NZ.
How each name got here
Hugh
Popularity journey
First recorded1955
First recorded at #91 among boys in New Zealand in 1955 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
New Zealand · Boys
Highest recorded1964–2025
Highest recorded position: #53 among boys in Republic of Ireland, in 1964 (recorded 1964–2025).
Republic of Ireland · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #179 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