Jonas vs Liam
Jonas 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, Jonas was ranked #49 and Liam #7 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Jonas was ranked #468 and Liam #7 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Jonas was ranked #727 and Liam #47 among boys in Scotland.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2023, Jonas was ranked #272 and Liam #52 among boys in Northern Ireland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Jonas was ranked #691 and Liam #70 among boys in England and Wales.
Jonas and Liam over time
Jonas and Liam appear together in 4 published lists, across 97 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 3 of them, Jonas in 1.
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.
Each reached its own highest recorded position first in 2 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 2018, Liam moved ahead of Jonas in Norway · Boys — #7 and #9 the year before became #11 and #7.
- Longest-running competitions
Jonas and Liam were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 36 years, from 1982 to 2025, ending at #49 and #7.
List by list
Norway · Boys36 shared years, 1982–2025
Jonas held the stronger position in 24 of those years, Liam in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #1 in 2006, Liam #3 in 2015.
The order changed in 2018: Liam moved ahead. In 2017 they stood at #7 and #9; by 2018 that had become #11 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jonas #49, Liam #7.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Jonas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 29.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #422 in 2018, Liam #10 in 1996.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Jonas #691, Liam #70.
Republic of Ireland · Boys20 shared years, 2005–2025
Jonas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 20.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #313 in 2016, Liam #6 in 2021.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Jonas #468, Liam #7.
Northern Ireland · Boys12 shared years, 2009–2023
Jonas held the stronger position in 0 of those years, Liam in 12.
Highest recorded here: Jonas #215 in 2018, Liam #37 in 2009.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Jonas #272, Liam #52.
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 | Jonas | Liam |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | Traditionally associated with the biblical figure Jonah; some traditions link the underlying Hebrew root to 'dove'. | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. |
| Origin | Hebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) |
| Pronunciation | /ˈjuː.nas/ | /ˈliːəm/ |
| Syllables | 2 | 1 |
| Common variants / nicknames | Not yet recorded | Not yet recorded |
| Recorded regional usage | GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO | AU-NSW, GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO, NZ |
| Most recent popularity observation | Norway · Boys #49 (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
- Jonas is recorded with a Hebrew, via Greek; used in Swedish, Norwegian, Danish and German tradition origin, while Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin.
- Jonas has 2 syllables, compared with 1 for Liam.
- Jonas's recorded meaning differs from Liam's — see the table above for each.
- Both names have recorded usage in GB-ENW, GB-NIR, GB-SCT, IE, NO.
How each name got here
Jonas
Popularity journey
First recorded1945
First recorded at #257 among boys in Norway in 1945 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1945–2025
Highest recorded position: #1 among boys in Norway, in 2006 (recorded 1945–2025).
Norway · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #49 among boys in Norway, in 2025.
Norway · 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