Liam vs Lucas
Liam and Lucascompared 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, Liam was ranked #7 and Lucas #24 among boys in Norway.
Republic of Ireland · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #7 and Lucas #64 among boys in Republic of Ireland.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
In 2025, Liam was ranked #15 and Lucas #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia.
New Zealand · Boys
In 2023, Liam was ranked #17 and Lucas #16 among boys in New Zealand.
Scotland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #47 and Lucas #23 among boys in Scotland.
England and Wales · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #70 and Lucas #25 among boys in England and Wales.
Northern Ireland · Boys
In 2024, Liam was ranked #42 and Lucas #30 among boys in Northern Ireland.
Liam and Lucas over time
Liam and Lucas appear together in 6 published lists, across 183 years of shared records. Lucas held the stronger position in more years in 4 of them, Liam in 2.
The order between them changed and held in 3 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 2009, Lucas moved ahead of Liam in England and Wales · Boys — #22 and #36 the year before became #24 and #17.
- Closest over the longest run
Across 29 shared years in England and Wales · Boys, Liam and Lucas averaged 51.6 places apart, ending at #70 and #25.
- Longest-running competitions
Liam and Lucas were both ranked in New South Wales, Australia · Boys for 33 years, from 1983 to 2025, ending at #15 and #14.
- Peaked in the same years
Both reached their highest recorded position in New Zealand · Boys within 2 years — Liam #1 in 2010, Lucas #4 in 2011.
List by list
Republic of Ireland · Boys36 shared years, 1979–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 36 of those years, Lucas in 0.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2021, Lucas #55 in 2018.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Lucas #64.
Norway · Boys34 shared years, 1987–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 14 of those years, Lucas in 20.
Highest recorded here: Liam #3 in 2015, Lucas #12 in 2012.
The order changed in 2012: Liam moved ahead. In 2011 they stood at #22 and #14; by 2012 that had become #8 and #12.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #7, Lucas #24.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys33 shared years, 1983–2025
Liam held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Lucas in 18.
Highest recorded here: Liam #6 in 2020, Lucas #2 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2025: Liam #15, Lucas #14.
England and Wales · Boys29 shared years, 1996–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lucas in 16.
Highest recorded here: Liam #10 in 1996, Lucas #17 in 2009.
The order changed in 2009: Lucas moved ahead. In 2008 they stood at #22 and #36; by 2009 that had become #24 and #17.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #70, Lucas #25.
Northern Ireland · Boys28 shared years, 1997–2024
Liam held the stronger position in 13 of those years, Lucas in 14.
Highest recorded here: Liam #35 in 2008, Lucas #22 in 2013.
The order changed in 2024: Lucas moved ahead. In 2023 they stood at #52 and #61; by 2024 that had become #42 and #30.
Most recent shared year, 2024: Liam #42, Lucas #30.
New Zealand · Boys23 shared years, 2001–2023
Liam held the stronger position in 15 of those years, Lucas in 8.
Highest recorded here: Liam #1 in 2010, Lucas #4 in 2011.
The order between them never changed and held in this list.
Most recent shared year, 2023: Liam #17, Lucas #16.
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 | Lucas |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Latin form of the Greek name Loukas, ultimately linked to the English name Luke. The deeper root meaning is itself disputed — possibly a shortened form of 'from Lucania' (a region of southern Italy), or alternatively derived from the Latin name Lucius. |
| Origin | Irish, short form of William (via Uilliam) | Latin, via Greek Loukas |
| Pronunciation | /ˈliːəm/ | /ˈluːkəs/ |
| 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 #14 (2025) |
| Pronunciation clarity (demonstration score) | 90/100 | 90/100 |
| Spelling simplicity (demonstration score) | 95/100 | 94/100 |
| 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 Lucas is recorded with a Latin, via Greek Loukas origin.
- Liam has 1 syllable, compared with 2 for Lucas.
- Liam's recorded meaning differs from Lucas'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
Lucas
Popularity journey
First recorded1976
First recorded at #607 among boys in Norway in 1976 — the earliest year that source publishes this name, not necessarily the earliest it was used.
Norway · Boys
Highest recorded1980–2025
Highest recorded position: #2 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2011 (recorded 1980–2025).
New South Wales, Australia · Boys
Most recent2025
Most recently recorded at #14 among boys in New South Wales, Australia, in 2025.
New South Wales, Australia · Boys