Jacob vs Liam
Jacob 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.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #59 and Liam #7 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #62 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #13 and Liam #42 among boys in Northern Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Jacob was ranked #42 and Liam #15 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Jacob was ranked #66 and Liam #17 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #27 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jacob was ranked #30 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Jacob and Liam over time
Jacob and Liam appear together in 6 published lists, across 214 years of shared records. Neither was ahead in more lists than the other.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 3 of the lists they share.
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 2003, Jacob moved ahead of Liam in England and Wales · Boys — #30 and #23 the year before became #27 and #29.
- Repeatedly exchanged positions
Jacob and Liam changed places 7 times in New South Wales, Australia · Boys between 1983 and 2025, ending at #42 and #15.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Jacob and Liam averaged 34.9 places apart, ending at #30 and #70.
- Longest-running competitions
Jacob and Liam were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 43 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #42 and #15.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in Norway · Boys within 2 years — Jacob #34 in 2017, Liam #3 in 2015.
List by list
New South Wales, Australia · Boys43 shared years, 1983–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Liam in 22.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #10 in 1999, Liam #6 in 2020.
The order changed in 2016: Liam moved ahead. In 2015 they stood at #10 and #16; by 2016 that had become #14 and #13.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #42, Liam #15.
Republic of Ireland · Boys40 shared years, 1980–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 40.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #37 in 2016, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #62, Liam #7.
New Zealand · Boys38 shared years, 1986–2023
Jacob held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Liam in 24.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #6 in 2003, Liam #1 in 2010.
The order changed in 2008: Liam moved ahead. In 2007 they stood at #11 and #12; by 2008 that had become #12 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jacob #66, Liam #17.
Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1982–2025
Jacob held the stronger position in 19 of those years, Liam in 17.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #34 in 2017, Liam #3 in 2015.
The order changed in 2009: Liam moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #72 and #109; by 2009 that had become #66 and #50.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jacob #59, Liam #7.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 22 of those years, Liam in 7.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #4 in 2013, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order changed in 2003: Jacob moved ahead. In 2002 they stood at #30 and #23; by 2003 that had become #27 and #29.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #30, Liam #70.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Jacob held the stronger position in 16 of those years, Liam in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jacob #5 in 2017, Liam #35 in 2008.
The order changed in 2010: Jacob moved ahead. In 2009 they stood at #51 and #37; by 2010 that had become #24 and #43.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jacob #13, 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 | Jacob | Liam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Commonly interpreted as 'holder of the heel' or 'supplanter', referencing the biblical account of Jacob being born grasping his twin brother Esau's heel. A less common alternate theory holds it may derive from a longer form meaning roughly 'may God protect'. | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. |
| Origin | Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈdʒeɪkəb/ | /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 #42 (2025) | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 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
- Jacob is recorded with a Biblical Hebrew, via Greek and Latin origin, while Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin.
- Jacob has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- Jacob'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
Jacob
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #273 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1996–2024
Highest recorded position: #4 among boys in England and Wales, in 2013 (recorded 1996–2024).
England and Wales · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #42 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