Liam vs Luca
Liam and Lucacompared 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.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Liam was ranked #17 and Luca #3 among boys in New Zealand.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #15 and Luca #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #47 and Luca #6 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #70 and Luca #7 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #42 and Luca #7 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Norway · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and Luca #60 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and Luca #11 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
Liam and Luca over time
Liam and Luca appear together in 6 published lists, across 156 years of shared records. Liam held the stronger position in more years in 6 of them, Luca in 0.
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 6 of those lists, and Luca in none. 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 took the other's place near the top
In Northern Ireland · Boys, Luca moved into the top 50 at #16 in 2022 as Liam fell out of it to #62, having been #45 the year before.
- One moved ahead of the other
In 2013, Luca moved ahead of Liam in England and Wales · Boys — #50 and #61 the year before became #67 and #60.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 21 shared years in New South Wales, Australia · Boys, Liam and Luca averaged 39.2 places apart, ending at #15 and #4.
- Mirrored each other
Over 20 shared years in New Zealand · Boys, Luca rose about as far as Liam fell — from #10 and #90 in 2004 to #17 and #3 in 2023.
- Longest-running competitions
Liam and Luca were both ranked in Norway · Boys for 31 years, from 1987 to 2025, ending at #7 and #60.
List by list
Norway · Boys31 shared years, 1987–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Luca in 1.
Highest recorded here: Liam #3 in 2015, Luca #60 in 2025.
The order changed in 1990: Liam moved ahead. In 1989 they stood at #627 and #581; by 1990 that had become #496 and #633.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Luca #60.
Republic of Ireland · Boys30 shared years, 1994–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 30 of those years, Luca in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, Luca #11 in 2025.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Luca #11.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Luca in 12.
Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, Luca #7 in 2023.
The order changed in 2013: Luca moved ahead. In 2012 they stood at #50 and #61; by 2013 that had become #67 and #60.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #70, Luca #7.
Northern Ireland · Boys25 shared years, 2000–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 21 of those years, Luca in 4.
Highest recorded here: Liam #35 in 2008, Luca #7 in 2024.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #45 and #63; by 2022 that had become #62 and #16.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #42, Luca #7.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys21 shared years, 2005–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Luca in 4.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2020, Luca #4 in 2024.
The order changed in 2022: Luca moved ahead. In 2021 they stood at #10 and #16; by 2022 that had become #15 and #7.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #15, Luca #4.
New Zealand · Boys20 shared years, 2004–2023
Liam held the stronger position in 17 of those years, Luca in 3.
Highest recorded here: Liam #1 in 2010, Luca #3 in 2023.
The order changed in 2021: Luca moved ahead. In 2020 they stood at #18 and #23; by 2021 that had become #12 and #10.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #17, Luca #3.
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 | Liam | Luca |
|---|---|---|
| Record type | Editorially researched profile | Editorially researched profile |
| Gender usage | male | male |
| Meaning | A short form, inheriting its meaning from William — 'resolute protection' or 'will helmet'. | The Italian and Romanian form of Lucas, itself probably a shortened form of the Greek 'Loukanos', meaning 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy). |
| Origin | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) | Italian, via Greek Loukas |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliːəm/ | /ˈluːkə/ |
| Syllables | 1 | 2 |
| 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 | Norway · Boys #7 (2025) | New South Wales, Australia · Boys #4 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 95/100 |
| International familiarity (demonstration score) | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Data Confidence | medium | medium |
What the data shows
- Liam is recorded with a Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) origin, while Luca is recorded with a Italian, via Greek Loukas origin.
- Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Luca.
- Liam's recorded meaning differs from Luca'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
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
Luca
Popularity journey
First recorded1973
First recorded at #603 among boys in Norway in 1973 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded2004–2023
Highest recorded position: #3 among boys in New Zealand, in 2023 (recorded 2004–2023).
New Zealand · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #4 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys